i£x  IGtbrta 

SEYMOUR  DURST 

~t'  Tort  ni*un>  i.4mfltrd<i->n  op  Je  Manhatans 

^^^^^ 

FORT    NEW    WSTERDA.H^^^  .NEW  YORK  rj 

"When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"£ver'thing~  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 

Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/greatnorthsideorOOdurs 


1 


NORTH  SIDE  BOARD  OF  TRADE, 


Copyright,  18^7 

BY 

THE  NORTH  SIDE  BOARD  OF  TRADE 
Albert  E.  D\v;s(  Chairman 


Ube  Iftnicfeerbocfcer  press,  IRew  ItJorft 


THE  GREAT  NORTH  SIDE  OF  THE 
CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

Greater  New  York  above  the  Harlem. 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Settlement  and  Early  History       .    Fordham  Morris,  1 

Counsellor-at-Law. 

Annexation   .....     Wm.  Cauldwell,  19 

Ex-Senator. 

Department  of  Street  Improvements, 

Hon.  Louis  F.  Haffen,  30 

Comirir  of  Street  Improvements. 

Commercial  Advantages        .    Gen'l  Egbert  L.  Viele,  58 

Preset  East  Bay  Land  and  Improvement  Co. 

Kaihvay  Facilities  .       .       .  •     Franklin  A.  Wilcox,  72 

Counsellor-at-Laiv. 

A  Manufacturing  Centre       .  John  C.  De  La  Vergne,  87 

Late  Pres't  De  La  Vergne  Refrigerating  Machine  Co. 

A  Home  Centre     ....    Albert  E.  Davis,  107 

Architect. 

Educational  Advantages       .       .  Col.  J.  A.  Goulden,  122 

Ex-School  Commissioner. 

Bridges  Wm.  K.  Beal,  132 

Pres't  Central  Union  Gas-light  Co. 
iii 


IV 


Contents  U  %ontinued ) 


Public  Works       ....       Louis  A.  Risse,  160 

Chief  TojHjyntjjJt  icul  En<ji iicci\  Dcj/t  St  n  et  Imj/m'ts. 


Parks  and  Parkways 

General  Advantages 

Opportunities 

Our  Future  . 
An  Invitation 


.     W.  W.  NlLBB,  Jr.,  189 

/•.'.'■-.  [ssrmblyman. 

.  Kunkst  Hall,  205 
Ex-Judge. 

.  De  Wrrr  C.  Ovekbaugh,  220 

.V'  reliant. 

Hugh  N.  Camp.  231 
Hon.  Samuel  MacMillan,  244 

Pres't  Dept  of  Public  Parks. 


INTRODUCTORY. 


The  purpose  of  this  publication  is  to  attract  population, 
capital,  and  business  enterprise  to  the  Borough  of  the  Bronx. 
It  is  not  issued  in  any  narrow  sense  with  the  desire  of  build- 
ing up  this  borough  at  the  expense  of  the  other  boroughs,  for 
the  reader  will  observe  that  the  writers  evidence  an  equal 
pride  in  advantages  distinctively  the  possession  of  the  Borough 
of  Manhattan.  We  are  first  of  all  New  Yorkers — citizens  of 
no  mean  city — and  proud  of  the  fact.  But  our  particular  field 
of  activity  is  the  Borough  of  the  Bronx,  and  we  know  that 
whatever  tends  to  the  upbuilding  of  this  borough  redounds 
to  the  credit,  prestige,  and  glory  of  our  common  city. 

This  work  was  projected  about  two  years  ago,  but  its  pub- 
lication was  deferred  owing  to  the  then  prevailing  financial 
depression.  Two  of  the  authors  of  articles,  John  C.  De  La 
Vergne  and  Hugh  N.  Camp,  have  become  citizens  of  another 
city  boundless  in  area,  limitless  in  population,  and  infinite  in 
possibilities, — the  Greater  City  beyond  the  Divide. 

If  there  should  appear  to  be  any  repetition  on  the  part  of 
the  different  authors,  the  reader  is  reminded  that  a  good  story 
will  always  bear  repeating. 

Most  of  the  photographs  from  which  the  half-tone  plates 
were  made  were  taken  by  Albert  E.  Lickman,  a  member  of  the 
Committee  on  Literature  and  Publication,  and  grouped  and 
arranged  by  the  chairman.  The  cover  was  designed  by  the 
chairman.    The  committee  is  indebted  to  Geo.  E.  Stonebridge 


vi  Introductory. 

for  the  excellent  photographs  furnished  by  him,  and  to  the 
secretary  of  our  Board,  Otho  G.  Antrle,  for  invaluable  assist- 
ance rendered. 

The  thanks  of  the  committee  are  due  to  Mr.  Adolph  G. 
Hupfel  for  personal  work  and  financial  aid,  and  t<»  Messrs. 
Ernest  Hall,  Henry  Lew  is  Morris,  Fordhani  Morris,  and  Win. 
R.  Beal  for  public-spirited  services. 


COMMITTEE  ON  LITERATURE  AND  PUBLICATION. 


SETTLEMENT  AND  EARLY  HISTORY. 


This  account  includes  very  generally  the  territory  formerly 
a  part  of  Westchester  County  which  forms  part  of  Greater 
New  York  between  the  Hudson  River  and  Long  Island  Sound, 
but  owing  to  limited  space  only  particular  statements  are  given 
of  the  territory  in  which  are  situated  our  great  suburban 
parks,  the  23rd  and  2-ith  Wards,  and  the  adjoining  Township 
of  Westchester,  and  now  (1897)  forming  the  Borough  of  the 
Bronx.  For  more  detailed  information  the  reader  is  referred 
to  Bolton's  and  Scharfs  histories  of  Westchester  County,  Rik- 
er's  History  of  Harlem,  Colonial  and  other  records  and  docu- 
ments easily  obtained  in  any  of  our  public  libraries. 

INDIAN  OCCUPANCY. 

The  most  promineut  tribe  of  Indians  which  inhabited 
the  territory  prior  to  European  settlement,  we  are  informed 
by  Broadhead  and  Schoolcraft,  was  the  Weekquaesgeeks. 
Their  hunting-grounds  generally  described  were  south  of  an 


2  The  (  iiv.it  .North  Side. 


irregular  line  drawn  cast  and  wot  from  the  Hudson  to  the 
Sound,  passing  through  the  headwaters  of  t lie  Pocantico, 
NepperhaD,  and  Bronx;  their  settlements  are  attested  by 
mounds,  shell-beds,  stone  hatchets,  spear-  and  arrow-heads 
found  on  the  shores,  hummocks,  and  uplands,  which  extend 
from  tin1  month  of  the  Pocantico  at  Tarrvtown  to  the  rocks 
hearing  Indian  inscriptions  on  Hunter's  Island,  in  Pelham 
Hay  Park.  Their  actions  in  the  region  in  which  our  Board  is 
interested  are  recorded  in  history  by  mention  of  the  first 
treaty  made  between  them  and  tin1  Dutch  in  1  T> 4 2  at  the 
house  of  Jonas  Bronck  or  Bronx,  which  stood  near  the  outlet 
of  Mill  Brook,  near  the  present  terminus  of  Brook  Avenue  at 
Harlem  Kills;  their  massacres  and  destruction  of  farms,  in 
violation  of  that  treaty,  about  1055,  of  Vanderdonck's  colonis 
in  what  is  now  Van  Cortlandt  Park;  the  celebrated  Anne 
Hutchinson's  murder  near  the  split  rock  in  Pelham  Bay 
Park,  and  the  driving  away  of  Throckmorton  and  his  associ- 
ates from  Throw's  Neck  :  w  hile  our  land  titles  begin  with 

Do  O 

deeds  from  members  of  that  tribe,  preceding  or  supplementing 
Dutch  ground  briefs  and  patents  and  grants,  borough  and 
manorial  charters  granted  by  the  English. 

EUROPEAN  SETTLEMENT. 

Hendrix  Hudson  anchored  off  Spuyten  Duyvil  in  his  cruise 
up  the  Hudson  in  1609  and  Adriaen  Blok,  in  the  first  vessel 
built  by  Europeans  in  America,  saw  from  the  deck  of  the  On- 
rest  or  Restless  the  shores  of  North  New  York  after  passing 
through  Die  Helle  Gatt  on  his  voyage  of  discovery  up  Long 
Island  Sound  in  1613;  but  to  Jonas  Bronck  or  Bronx  belongs 
the  honor  of  being  the  first  actual  settler,  in  1639-40,  on  Har- 
lem Kills.  After  him  the  river  Bronx  and  all  the  southerly  part 
of  our  region  was  called  Bronxland.  Adriaen  Vanderdonck, 
the  first  lawyer  w7ho  came  to  this  part  of  America,  a  patriot 
and  author,  entitled  to  the  credit  of  having  obtained  the  con- 
cession of  popular  rights  to  the  early  inhabitants  of  New 
Netherland,  followed  Bronck,  in  1653,  by  settling  near  where 


3 


1 


The  Great  North  Side. 


the  V;in  Cortlandt  mansion  in  the  park  of  tliai  name  now 
stands,  His  purchase  from  the  Indians  may  bays  been  earlier. 
That  portion  of  our  region,  and  as  Ear  north  as  well  up  the 
valley  of  the  Nepperhan,  was  therefore  originally  called  Van 
Donks  or  Vanderdonks  Land.  Between  Vanderdonk  and 
Bronx  came  in  the  Archer  Patent,  or  Manor  of  Fordham, 
purchased  principally  from  the  Indian-  by  one  dan  Arcer,  or 
John  Archer,  between  L655  and  L6.71.  Daniel  Turneur,  an 
Alderman  of  Harlem,  owned  the  neck  o4  land  between  Crom- 
well's Creek  and  Harlem  River,  now  known  as  Bighbridge- 
ville  in  1671,  also  an  Indian  purchase;  while  Jessop  and 
Richardson  acquired  title  to  part  of  Weal  Farm-.  Barretto'a 
Point,  and  Leggetfs  Neck  as  earl)  as  L663,  known  subse- 
quently as  the  \\  est  Farms  patent.  Crossing  the  Bronx  we 
rind  that  about  1663-65,  on  the  Westchester  Creek,  where 
the  ancient  village  of  Westchester  now  stands,  was  a  settle- 
ment of  trespassing  New  Englanders,  whom  the  Dutch  gover- 
nor tried  to  bring  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  West  India 
Company,  but  who,  though  outwardly  loyal  to  the  Dutch, 
were  hoping  and  scheming  for  an  English  invasion.  They 
were,  in  1667,  after  the  English  conquest,  rewarded  for  their 
efforts  and  erected  into  a  separate  borough.  This  borough 
comprised  all  the  territory  south  of  the  present  Eastchester 
boundary,  wrest  of  Hutchinson's  River,  Eastchester,  and  Pelham 
Bay,  and  east  of  the  Bronx  with  a  front  to  the  Sound  and  East 
River.  The  tedious  litigations  about  proprietary  rights  in  that 
section  between  the  Pells,  Cornells,  and  the  Borough,  are  too  de- 
tailed to  set  forth  in  an  article  so  restricted  as  this ;  but  suffice  it 
to  say  that  the  Borough  and  Cornells  were  firmly  seated  in  their 
holdings,  and  that  East  of  Hutchinson's  River  and  the  bay  called 
Eastchester  or  Pelham,  one  Thomas  Pell,  of  Fairfield,  Connecti- 
cut, had  prior  to  1666  purchased  from  the  Indians  all  the  lands 
now  in  Pelham  Bay  Park  and  as  far  east  as  New  Rochelle  ;  and 
in  1666  the  English  governor  Nicolls  erected  it  into  a  proprie- 
tary holding,  with  Thomas  Pell  as  Lord  of  the  Manor. 


5 


6 


The  Great  North  Side. 


COLONIAL  TIMES. 

The  colonial  history  of  our  region  abounds  with  tales  of 
Indian  warfare;  tin1  famous  John  Underhill  oi  Pequod  fanir 

came  over  from  New  England  to  help  the  Dutch.  The  crops 
were  tobacco,  wheat,  and  indian  corn.  Controversies  arose  a^  to 
lands  and  jurisdictions,  the  establishment  of  ferries  over  the 
Harlem  and  Spuvten  Duyvil  so  as  to  meet  the  two  main  thor- 
oughfares of  the  Province,  leading  respectively  to  Albany  and 
Connecticut,  the  portion  now  Westchester  being  for  a  short 
time  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Long  Island  while  the  most  west- 
erly and  southerly  had  in  it  the  three  manors  of  Phillipsbnrgh 
(the  most  northerly  part),  Fordham,  and  Morrisania  witli  their 
Courts  leet  and  appellate  tribunals  at  Harlem  or  before  the 
Mayor  of  New  York. 

In  1691,  Westchester  <  ounty  w  as  erected,  which  brought  all 
our  region  under  the  one  jurisdiction  but  wit  1 1  separate  repre- 
sentatives for  the  Borough.  Cooper,  in  his  Ohainbearer  and 
Oak  Openings  portrays  perhaps  the  most  vivid  picture  of  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  u  well-to-do"  people  of  those  days, 
while  Mrs.  Knight  in  her  Jpuivial  of  a  Jowmey  to  Neiv  York 
from  Boston,  and  Finlay  in  his  Report  on  the  Mails  tell  the 
less  pleasing,  but  perhaps  most  reliable,  tales  of  the  hardships 
and  inconveniences  of  "those  good  old  colony  times  when  we 
were  under  the  Kins:." 

THE   REVOLUTIONARY  WAIL 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  we  find  Vander- 
donck's  land  vested  in  Van  Cortlandts  by  the  female  line 
descendants  of  the  Phillipses,  and  a  Phillipse  collecting  toll 
at  Kingsbridge,  then  the  only  bridge  except  the  Farmer's, 
which  spanned  either  Spuvten  Duyvil  or  the  Harlem  estuary  ; 
a  bridge  at  West  Farms  near  Lydig's,  or,  as  it  was  then  known, 
De  Lancey's  Mills  ;  and  Williams  Bridge  at  the  site  where 
one  now  spans  the  Bronx  near  the  Depot.  The  ferry  at 
Harlem  which  had  its  landing  at  a  place  on  the  north  side 


7 


s 


The  ( ireat  North  Side. 


<>f  125th  Sheet  ncai"  Lsl  Avenue,  and  on  the  Blonds  Estate 
this  side  of  the  river  led  to  ;i  road  on  this  side  correspond- 
ing somewhat  to  3d  Avenue  and  Boston  Road,  as  we  now 
know  it,  and  thence  to  De  Lancey's  Mills  at  West  Farms  and 
the  Kingsbridge  Road  as  it  now  runs  from  Wes1  Parma  to  the 
Fanner's  Bridge.  The  Ford  ham  Road  ran  from  the  Kings- 
bridge Road  to  Harlem  River,  jus<  as  it  runs  now  to  Ford- 
ham  Heights,  then  called  Fordham  or  Berrian^s  Landing,  and 
the  road  we  now  call  the  Macomb's  Dam  Road  ran  then,  as 
now,  to  where  it  joins  Jerome  Avenue  and  thence  to  a  point  in 
High  bridge  ville  near  the  Anderson  property  on  the  western 
slope  of  Cromwell's  Creek.  Such  w  as  the  "lay  out"  of  the 
North  Side  at  the  opening  of  hostilities  with  Great  Britain. 

The  personnel  of  its  inhabitants  had  changed  somewhat 
from  the  beginning  of  the  English  Colonial  period.  The  Van- 
cortlandts  held  most  of  what  had  been  "  I  andonks  land"  some 
of  them  Royalists,  others  brave  soldiers  in  the  continental  regi- 
ments; parts  of  the  Fordham  and  West  Farms  Patents  and 
parts  of  the  Turneur  High  Bridge  holding  had  been  pur- 
chased as  "additional"  lands  by  the  Morris  family,  lords  of 
the  adjoining  Manor  of  Morrisania,  which  had  also  taken  in 
Bronxland.  The  men  of  this  family  took  up  the  American 
side  of  the  controversy.  Lewis  the  elder,  Lord  of  the  Manor 
was  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress  and  signer  of  the 
Great  Declaration;  Gouverneur,  his  brother,  represented  the 
County  in  the  Provincial  Congress  of  New  York;  and  Richard 
of  Fordham,  a  royal  Commissioner  of  the  Court  of  Admiralty, 
resigned  his  lucrative  post,  and  as  a  reward  had  his  house  and 
farm  at  Fordham  destroyed  by  the  British,  took  refuge  in  the 
American  lines,  and  with  his  brother  Gouverneur  helped 
make  our  first  State  Constitution  and  served  as  Senator  from  our 
region.  The  other  parts  of  the  Fordham  and  West  Farms 
Turneur  and  AVestchester  patents  had,  by  sales  and  inherit- 
ances, passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Devoes,  Hadleys,  Vermil- 
yeas,  Valentines,  Corsas,  Van  Alsts,  Hunts,  Archers,  Jessups, 


MAIN  STREET,  WEST  FARMS. 


BEDFORD  PARK,  FROM  SO.  BOULEVARD. 


9 


10  The  Great  North  Side. 


Ryers,  Cornells,  Leggetts,  Berrians,  Briggs,  Bussing*,  Buck- 
bouts,  Pooles,  and  others,  many  of  which  names  are  on 
our  roll  of  members,  or  occur  as  names  of  our  streets  and 
avenues  and  to  the  credit  of  their  sturdy  fathers  are  also  to 
be  found  on  the  muster-rolls  of  the  Westchester,  West  Farms, 
and  Fordham  Companies  w  hich  fought  for  the  American  side. 
Our  region  was  the  theatre  of  many  bloody  skirmishes  and 
important  military  movements  during  the  Revolutionary  con- 
test. The  gorge  of  the  Harlem  and  Spuvten  I)uvvil,  the  low, 
marshy  lands  and  creeks  on  the  Kills  and  East  river,  and  the 
high  lands  immediately  in  their  rear, disclosed  to  the  strategic 
eyes  of  Washington  a  natural  line  of  defence,  behind  w  hich 
he  could  successfully  lead  his  ill-equipped,  and  only  half-de- 
feated troops  from  Manhattan  Island,  and  rally  them  on  the 
mountain  slopes  of  the  interior.  There  he  could  maintain  an 
unbroken  line  of  communication  between  the  New  England, 
the  Middle  and  Southern  colonies.  How  e's  victory  at  Brook- 
lyn and  New  York  had  merely  placed  him  in  possession  of 
some  islands  ;  the  continent  was  still  held  by  the  rebellious 
Americans.  The  British  had  no  base  of  supplies  but  the 
ocean,  and  as  the  Americans  retreated  the  crops  were  burned, 
the  cattle  purchased  from  the  farmers,  and  the  roads  and 
bridges  leading  either  across  or  up  into  the  country  were 
rendered  useless  for  artillery  and  baggage-trains  by  felling  the 
trees  across  them.  The  immediate  command  of  the  rear  guard 
was  assigned  to  General  Heath.  He  placed  it  with  posts  and 
pickets  along  the  east  banks  ft  Spuvten  Duyvil,  the  Harlem 
River  and  Kills,  the  indentations  of  Leggett's  Creek,  Bronx 
River,  and  Westchester  Creek,  and  left  no  available  route  for 
landward  advance  open  to  Howe  except  over  broken  bridges, 
highways  slashed  with  timber  and  up  to  lines  of  stone  walls 
with  minute-men  behind  them.  A  second  line  of  advance 
open  to  How7e  was  up  the  Hudson  in  ships  of  war  still  ob- 
structed by  the  American  forts  Washington  and  Lee :  as  a 
third  method  of  attack  the  Sound  in  ships,  a  landing  on  the 


12 


The  Great  North  Side. 


continent  and  an  advance  in  the  front  and  not  on  tin*  Hank  of 
the  retreating  Americans.  Heath  with  his  men  held  the  Har- 
lem River  gorge  so  well  that  no  available  landing  occurred  to 

the  Howe  brothers  until  the  fleet  and  transports  had  reached 
Hammonds  anchorage  just  west  of  the  promontory  whereon 
Fort  Schuyler  now  stands. 

After  landing  his  troops  and  trains,  and  marching  up  the 
Throgg's  Nect  road,  Howe  found  tin-  <»M  Westchester  bridge 
across  the  creek  impassable,  ami  American  riflemen  behind 
cord-wood  breast-works  barring  hid  advance:  farther  up  the 

creek  he  crossed,  or  tried  to  cross,  BO  as  to  get  on  to  the  Kast- 
chester  Road  near  where  the  Pelhara  Parkway  now  crosses  it. 
but  there  the  regiments  of  Westchester  in  which  were  our 
companies  from  Fordham,  W  est  Farms,  and  Westchester  vil- 
lage, successfully  resisted  his  advance  and  the  British  veterans 
returned  to  Throws  Neck  and  were  forced  to  he  ferried  across 
Pel  ham  Bay  to  Pell's  Point  and  then  in  what  is  now  Pelham 
Bay  Park,  found  Glover's  regiment  of  Marblehead  fishermen 
disputing  his  advance  behind  thick  stone  walls.  This  delay 
by  a  handful  of  undisciplined  troops  enabled  Washington  w  ith 
his  main  army  to  retreat  to  White  Plains  on  the  roads  west  of 
the  Bronx,  un harassed  in  his  rear  and  flanks,  and  to  form  his 
lines  at  that  place,  which  Howe  finally  attacked  but  did  not 
carry. 

Hardly  was  our  region  cleared  of  the  troops  of  both  ar- 
mies when  our  gorge  of  the  Harlem  again  echoed  the  sounds 
of  war.  Fort  Washington  on  the  Hudson  was  carried  by  at- 
tacks from  the  AVestchester  shore.  British  cannon  planted  on 
Morris  Heights  rendered  the  outlying  work  on  Laurel  Hill  at 
the  terminus  of  10th  Avenue  useless,  and  Cornwaflis  in  his  flat 
boats  came  down  Harlem  River,  landed  at  Cromwell's  creek, 
scaled  that  height,  and  the  brave  McGaw  from  Maryland  lost 
his  life  at  Ft.  George  where  now  an  enterprising  brewer  has 
dubbed  his  house  of  refreshment,  "Fort  Wendell.'1  The  out- 
lying lines  near  the  Jumel  Mansion  were  carried  by  Lord 


13 


11 


The  Great  North  Side. 


Percy's  regiment,  and  a  regiment  which  scaled  the  heights  ju-t 
south  of  High  Bridge.  Yon  Knyphausen  Bwepl  down  the 
valley  of  Broadway  and  attacked  the  fori  on  its  northern 
flank  and  Fort  Washington  fell.  During  the  re&i  of  the  war 
Manhattan  Island  and  all  the  Heights  od  the  eastern  and 
northern  shores  of  the  Spuyten  Duyvil  and  Harlem  remained 
to  the  British  as  their  conquest  with  our  region  as  sites  for 
chains  of  redoubts,  block-houses,  and  videttes.  Lack  of  space 
forbids  the  recital  of  where  those  works  Btood,  but  they  are 
known  and  should  be  marked  in  some  appropriate  manner 
before  public  improvements  entirely  obliterate  them.  The 
impartial  annalist  must  here  record  the  brave  but  mistaken 
efforts  of  another  son  of  our  soil,  Captain  James  I)e  Lancev, 
scion  of  the  De  Lanceys  of  De  Lancey'a  Mills,  w  ho,  as  captain 
of  the  royal  lighthorse,  was  the  moat  successful  and  useful 
officer  the  British  possessed  to  cany  out  the  forays  and  raids 
which  were  constantly  occurring  in  the  Debatable  Land  w  hich 
lay  between  the  American  lines  and  out-posts  along  the  Harlem 
and  Spuyten  Duyvil.  lie,  Emmerich,  a  soldier  of  fortune,  and 
Simcoe  of  the  Rangers  made1  for  themselves  a  reputation  as 
daring  cavalry  officers  equal  in  acts  of  bravery  " hai/r-breadth 
9 scapes  by  flood  and  field"  to  any  of  the  dashing  ventures  of 
Prince  Rupert,  Lord  Cardigan,  Fitzpatrick,  Forrest,  or  Gril- 
mour.  But  De  Lancey'a  reward  was  a  sad  one  ;  his  estates 
were  confiscated,  and  he  died  an  exile  in  a  foreign  land,  yet  at 
this  late  day  we  can  honor  an  adversary  by  respecting  his 
fidelity  to  principle. 

The  attack  on  the  British  lines  by  way  of  Van  Cortlandt 
and  Williamsbridge,  unsuccessful,  but  yet  notable ;  Aaron 
Burr's  destruction  of  a  British  block-house  at  West  Farms; 
Washington's  and  De  Rochambeau's  reconnoissance  in  force 
through  our  region,  as  far,  as  near  where  St.  Ann's  Church  now 
stands  ;  the  defeat  of  the  Stockbridge  Indians  in  a  part  of  Van- 
cortlandt  Park,  near  Woodlawn  ;  a  brisk  cavalry  encounter  at 
the  bridge  crossing  Tibbett's  Brook  near  the  old  Mill,  also  in 


I; 


The  Great  North  Side. 


Van  Cortlaodt  Park,  are  all  events  worthy  of  record  and  enter 
into  our  Revolutionary  history;  and  tin*  last  scene  is  (lie  most 
pleasing  of  all,  when  the  Father  of  our  Country,  escorted  by 
the  Westchester  horse,  crossed  Kingsbridge  to  take  possession 
of  New  Y<>rk  city  when  evacuated  by  the  British.  No  better 
works  descriptive  of  the  manners,  customs,  and  condition  of 
the  country  at  that  period  can  be  consulted  than  Cooper's  Spy 
and  Dwight's  '/ranis. 

FROM  THE  REVOLUTION  TO   THE  HARLEM  RAILROAD. 

Our  region  was  wasted  by  fire  and  sword,  hut  an  era  of 
peace  and  plenty  again  began:  nature  restored  the  forests 
which  American  and  British  soldiers  had  cut  down;  the  far- 
mer laid  his  flint-locked  musket  aside  or  blazed  away  with  it 
at  harmless  squirrels  and  woodchucks,  and  wealth v  men  of 
New  York  recognizing  the  beauties  of  the  hilly,  river  and  bay- 
girt  region,  sought  rest  from  their  labors  by  purchasing  some 
of  the  worn-out  farms,  and  erecting  costly  mansions,  laying 
out  well  kept  pasture  lands,  tasteful  plantations,  and  sloping 
lawns.  Blooded-stock  replaced  "  neat  cattle"  slab-sided  llozi- 
nantes  lank  sheep  and  razor-back  hogs;  our  pastures  and 
waters  nourished  the  hones  and  muscles  of  " Eclipse"  and 
"  Trustee " '  and  gave  new  life  and  strength  to  imported  Short 
Horns,  Alderneys  and,  Ayreshires,  black-faced  Southdowns 
and  sleek  hogs  from  foreign  lands;  but  the  old  native  stock 
of  men  still  remained,  and  11  showed  against  each  other''''  at  the 
County  and  Town  agricultural  fairs  ;  the  Town  Clerk  only 
enlarged  the  Poll  List  and  carried  the  names  of  the  owners  of 
abolished  manors  and  grantees  of  the  Archers,  Pells,  and 
Cornells  and  the  Rosters  of  the  Militia  of  war-times  alongside 
those  of  Fox,  Dater,  Faile,  Dennison,  White,  Anderson, 
Haight,  Hoe,  Simpson,  Butler,  Cammann,  Lydig,  Coster,  Spof- 
ford,  Ludlow,  Hall,  Walker,  Bailey,  Van  Schaick,  Lorillard, 
Richardson,  Coddington,  and  Watson,  and  many  other  names 
known  in  the  mercantile,  professional,  journalistic  and  literary 


18 


The  ( ireat  North  Side. 


life  of  tin1  great  metropolis.  Pelham  and  the  Third  Avenue 
Bridges  were  built  and  "new  roads  to  Connecticut "  laid  out, 
the  Harlem  River  was  crossed  by  a  dam  and  fixed  highway 
at  7th  Avenue,  about  182C>,  which  was  torn  down  and  a  draw 
put  into  it  about  L836;  the  High  Bridge  w  as  begun  at  about 
that  time  with  its  arches  eighty  feet  in  the  span  and  the  crow  n 
of  the  arch  "not  less  than  out  1i  and  red  feet  above  hiyh  title}71 
and  in  1842  the  waters  of  the  Croton  crossed  the  Harlem  on 
that  viaduct.  The  Lydigs  had  succeeded  the  DeLanceys  with 
their  " flouring"  mill ;  Bolton  from  England  had  set  up  the 
Bleach,  and  the  Lorillards  their  snntbmill  in  the  beautiful 
gorge  of  the  Bronx,  now  happily  devoted  to  Park  purposes. 
Robert  Macomb  had  his  grist-mill  at  Kingsbridge  built  across 
Spuyten  Duyvil  creek,  so  thai  t he  t [de  would  turn  the  wheel; 
the  Van  Tassels  continued  to  grind  the  farmers1  grist  at  the 
old  mill  at  Van  Cortlandt's,  over  Tibbit'fl  brook;  the  West- 
chester Creek  still  turned  the  wheel  of  the  tide  mill  at  the  old 
bridge  where  the  Americans  had  piled  up  the  cord-wood  and 
resisted  Howe's  advance;  the  mills  of  the  Morrises  on  Mill 
Brook  and  Cromwell  on  Cromwell's  Creek,  had  been  discon- 
tinued and  the  dams  destroyed  :  other  industries,  especially  a 
carpet  factory  had  been  started  at  West  Farms,  but  as  yet 
Christopher  Walton  at  Pordham  Corners,  Daniel  Mapes  at 
West  Farms  ami  Sydney  Bowne  at  Westchester  were  the  only 
merchants  or  "  country  -store  keepers''  with  any  considerable 
business,  and  West  Farms  was  the  Post  Office  and  centre  of 
trade.  The  Red  Bird  sta^e  received  and  delivered  the  mail 
for  the  region  at  the  latter  place,  and  then  rattled  on  over  the 
Eastchester  turnpike  on  its  weary  way  to  the  shire  town  of 
White  Plains. 

Sucli  was  the  region  from  the  Revolution  to  the  time  of  the 
building  of  the  Harlem  Railroad  through  our  territory.  Some 
other  pen  must  record  the  future  temporal  development.  His- 
tory ends  here :  from  that  time  onward,  urban  improvement 
begins. 


ANNEXATION. 


The  booming  of  guns  and  other  demonstrations  of  joy 
which,  at  the  hour  of  midnight  of  December  31,1873,  her- 
alded the  advent  of  the  year  1874,  also  celebrated  the  acces- 
sion to  the  City  of  New  York  of  a  territory  north  of  Harlem 
River,  equal,  in  extent,  to  the  then  boundaries  of  the  city 
south  of  that  stream;  for  when  the  hour  of  midnight  was 
proclaimed  the  corporate  existence  of  the  then  Westchester 
towns  of  Morrisania,  West  Farms,  and  Kingsbridge  had 
ceased,  and  those  localities,  in  the  language  of  the  Act  of 
Annexation,  were  "  annexed  to,  merged  in,  and  made  part  of, 
the  City  of  New  York,  subject  to  the  same  laws,  ordinances, 
regulations,  obligations,  and  liabilities,  and  entitled  to  the 
same  rights,  privileges,  franchises,  and  immunities  in  every 
respect,  and  to  the  same  extent  as  if  such  territory  had  been 

19 


20 


Die  Great  North  Side. 


included  within  said  City  of  New  York  at  the  time  of  the 
grant  and  adoption  of  the  first  charter  and  organization  thereof, 
and  had  so  remained  up  to  the  passage  of  this  Act." 

Annexation  to  the  City  of  Xew  York  was,  however,  a  plant 
of  slow  growth.  It  had  been  talked  about  for  more  than  ten 
years  prior  to  its  actual  consummation.  Especially  was  it  a 
prominent  topic  in  the  town  of  Morrisania,  whose  rapid  ad- 
vance had  far  outgrown  the  scope  of  town  government,  the 
powers  of  which  were  insufficient  to  meet  the  general  demand 
for  local  improvements.  The  idea  of  combining  the  towns 
of  Morrisania  and  West  Farms  under  a  special  city  charter 
was  much  discassed,  but  as  it  aroused  opposition  from  some 
i>f  the  more  extensive  land  proprietors  of  Wesi  Farms,  w  ho 
were  opposed  to  all  progress,  the  peoph-  of  Morrisania  deter- 
mined to  abandon  that  idea,  and  secured  the  passage  of  an 
act  through  the  Legislature,  in  Ae  year  L864,  creating  a 
Board  of  Trustees  for  that  town,  w  hich  act  conferred  upon 
the  trustees  nearly  all  the  powers  of  a  city  corporation  with- 
out the  incidental  expenses;  and  this  act  enabled  the  town 
authorities  to  pioneer  annexation  by  proceeding  to  make  such 
improvements  in  streets  and  highways  as  were  demanded  by 
an  increasing  population  flowing  in  from  below  the  Harlem 
River. 

In  1863,  Messrs.  Campbell  &  Willis  bought  some  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  from  Gouverneur  Morris,  located  north  of 
what  is  now  known  as  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth  Street 
and  east  of  Third  Avenue,  then  called  Boston  Road,  and  in  1 864, 
Clarence  S.  Brown  bought  one  hundred  acres  of  land  from 
Henry  M.  Morris  and  his  co-heirs,  this  land  being  bounded  on 
the  north  by  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth  Street,  on  the 
east  by  Third  Avenue,  and  on  the  south  by  Harlem  River.  At 
this  time,  not  a  single  house  was  located  on  any  of  this  prop- 
erty. In  the  laying  out  and  mapping  of  these  plots  of  land, 
the  cross  streets  were  numbered  in  continuation  of  the  streets 
located  in  Harlem,  the  one  nearest  the  river  being  One  Hun- 


21 


22 


The  Great  North  Side. 


dred  and  Thirty-third  Street,  afterwards  converted  into  the 
Southern  Boulevard.  I  mention  this  incident  to  show  the 
general  belief  at  that  time  in  the  upward  extension  of  the  city. 

In  1808  it  was  deemed  advisable,  in  the  town  of  Morri- 
sania,  that  some  comprehensive  and  general  plan  for  the  laying 
out  of  streets,  roads,  and  avenues  should  be  adopted  (more 
than  a  dozen  so-called  villages,  each  with  its  own  lay-out  of 
streets,  being  then  in  existence),  and  this  led  to  the  passage 
of  an  act,  by  the  Legislature,  conferring  upon  a  Commission 
the  same  general  powers  that  had  been  conferred  upon  the 
Commission  of  1813,  which  mapped  all  the  upper  part  of  New 
York  Island.  Having,  also,  the  idea  of  future  annexation  in 
view,  this  Commission  adopted  the  numerical  names  for  cross- 
streets  which  existed  in  the  city  proper,  and  w  Inch  had  been 
initiated  in  Morrisania  as  mentioned  above. 

In  1869  the  Legislature  passed  an  act,  giving  to  the  Park 
Department  exclusive  authority  over  bridges  crossing  the 
Harlem  River,  ami  over  all  streets  having  an  approach  thereto, 
which  was  another  Btep  in  the  direction  of  the  city  jurisdic- 
tion over  the  adjacent  towns  of  Morrisania  and  AVest  Farms 
— the  town  of  Kingsbridge  then  being,  and  was,  up  to  1872, 
still  a  portion  of  Yonkers. 

The  first  positive  move  in  the  Legislature  towards  annexa- 
tion was,  later,  in  the  year  1869,  when  Air.  Cornelius  Corson, 
then  a  resident  of  Mount  Vernon,  Westchester  County,  and  a 
close  adherent  to  what  was  known  as  the  Tweed  regime,  hav- 
ing  prepared  a  bill  providing  for  the  annexation  of  the  towns 
of  Morrisania,  AVest  Farms,  Westchester,  and  Mount  A7ernon 
to  the  City  of  New  York,  had  notice  of  such  proposed  bill 
given  by  the  late  Senator  Genet.  I  had  the  honor  at  the 
time  of  representing,  among  other  localities,  the  Westchester 
towns  in  the  State  Senate,  and  regarding  it  as  an  act  of  dis- 
courtesy that  such  a  move  should  have  been  made  without 
consultation,  and  without  the  request  of  my  immediate  con- 
stituents, on  the  spur  of  the  moment  I  arose  in  my  place 


23 


24 


The  Great  North  Side. 


in  the  Senate  and  gave  notice  that  I  would,  al  some  future 
time,  present  a  "hill  to  annex  the  City  of  New  York  to  the 
town  of  Morrisania."  This  sarcasm  bit  the  nail  on  the  head, 
and  nothing  further  was  heard  of  the  Corson  Bill;  for  soon 
thereafter  the  adherents  of  the  Tweed  Ring  got  to  quarrelling 
and  battering  each  other's  heads,  and  the  combination  vras 
utterly  destroyed. 

It  was  in  the  hill  of  1872  that  positive  Bteps  toward 
annexation  first  began  to  take  shape.  Hon.  William  Herring 
had  just  heen  elected  to  represent  the  First  Assembly  District 
of  Westchester  County  in  the  State*  Legislature.  Several 
eonferenees  were  tlien  held  of  property  owners  of  Morrisania, 
and  West  Farms,  the  result  of  which  was  that  Samuel  E. 
Lyon,  Esq.,  a  well-known  lawyer,  was  authorized  t<>  prepare 
a  hill  to  carry  the  project  into  elfcct,  and  Mr.  W  illiam  Her- 
ring, a  warm  advocate  of  the  scheme,  w  as  requested  and  prom- 
ised to  secure  the  passage  of  the  measure. 

The  City  authorities  did  not  take  kindly  to  the  project  of 
annexation,  and  the  animosity  then  existing  hetween  the  De- 
partment of  Public  Works  and  the  Department  of  Public 
Parks  nearly  throttled  the  lull  in  the  Legislature.  But  Gover- 
nor Dix  saved  it  by  makiag  know  n  most  emphatically  that  he 
would  favor  no  hill  for  annexation  which  did  not  give  exclu- 
sive jurisdiction  over  the  streets,  roads,  and  avenues  of  the 
proposed  new  district  to  the  Department  of  Public  Parks. 
This  ended  the  struggle  hetween  the  rival  departments,  so 
far  as  the  annexation  hill  was  concerned,  and  it  became  a  law. 

The  Act  of  Annexation  provided  that  the  question  pro  and 
con  should  he  submitted  to,  and  approved  by,  the  people  of 
the  City  of  New  York  and  of  Westchester  County  at  the  next 
ensuing  election,  November,  1873.  There  was  a  general  indif- 
ference throughout  the  city  concerning  the  matter,  while  there 
seemed  to  be  a  determined  opposition  to  the  annexation  pro- 
ject throughout  the  upper  part  of  Westchester  County,  the  pro- 
posed division  of  the  old  county  not  being  at  all  liked.    It  is 


The  Great  North  Side. 


25 


not  necessary  to  enter  into  details  concerning  the  effort  which 
had  to  be  made  to  overcome  this  feeling  in  regard  to  the  project 
on  the  part  of  the  people.  Much  explanation  had  to  be  made 
through  the  press,  and  much  eloquence  had  to  be  otherwise 
indulged  in.  I  remember  distinctly  that  the  late  John  Kelly, 
then  the  head  and  front  of  Tammany  Hall,  was  at  first  inclined 
to  throw  all  his  great  influence  against  the  project,  he  having 
been  advised  that  the  scheme  would  not  benefit  the  city  but 
would  be  a  costly  experiment  and  add  largely  to  its  expendi- 
tures, and  he  did  not  wish  his  organization  to  incur  such  re- 
sponsibility. But  Mr.  Kelly  listened  to  committees  from  the 
Westchester  towns  which  waited  upon  him,  and  he  finally 
decided  to  remain  perfectly  impartial  regarding  the  matter, 
and  the  bags  of  ballots  which  left  Tammany  Hall  the  night 
before  election  contained  for  each  election  district  an  equal 
quantity  of  separate  ballots  "  For "  and  "  Against "  an- 
nexation. The  Republican  organization  did  the  same  thing ; 
and  this  fair  deal  also  being  carried  out  in  Westchester  County, 
the  missionary  work  performed  by  the  advocates  of  annexa- 
tion in  the  City  of  New  York  and  Westchester  County  had  a 
chance  of  fruition  ;  and  the  result  was  that  the  vote  for  an- 
nexation in  the  city  proper  was  55,319  ;  against  annexation 
8,380  ;  in  the  towns  of  Morrisania,  Kingsbridge  and  West 
Farms,  the  vote  for  annexation  was  4,230  ;  against,  109 ;  in 
the  balance  of  Westchester  County  the  vote  for  annexation 
was  9,023  ;  against  2,643.  There  was  considerable  delay  in 
getting  actual  results  of  the  vote  on  annexation  in  the  city, 
for  the  police  authorities  had  been  negligent  in  providing  for 
the  reception  of  the  additional  separate  ballot,  and  blanks  for 
the  return  of  the  vote  had  not  been  furnished.  This  condi- 
tion of  affairs  kept  the  advocates  of  annexation  on  the  qui 
vive,  tfcat  the  will  of  the  people  should  not  be  ignored. 

Between  the  time  >f  the  declaration  of  the  result  of  the 
vote  on  annexation,  and  midnight  of  December  31, 1873,  there 
was  much  to  be  done  by  the  officials  of  the  towns  interested 


dd^FffZCJA/CT  police:  station 
3*°/lvenue&J59r-*Sr. 


The  Great  North  Side. 


27 


to  get  all  matters  in  readiness  for  the  transfer  of  authority. 
In  Morrisania,  where  much  of  public  improvements  were  in 
progress,  this  work  was  laborious,  and  especially  so  the  last 
two  weeks  of  the  year;  for  nothing  could  be  finally  done  tow- 
ards the  auditing  aud  adjusting  of  claims  and  the  division  of 
indebtedness  without  the  confirmatory  action  of  the  Board 
of  Supervisors  of  Westchester  County.  I  well  remember  that 
on  that,  to  me,  memorable  31st  day  of  December  I  had  been 
busy  at  White  Plains  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Supervi- 
sors, and  had  finally  at  about  three  o'clock  gotten  through  the 
last  motion  necessary  to  make  provision  for  the  three  to-be- 
annexed  towns  to  pay  all  their  indebtedness  to  the  county, 
the  State,  and  to  all  parties  having  claims  against  the  towns, 
and  adjusting  the  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  towns  to  the 
county.  Then  the  Supervisors  of  Morrisania,  West  Farms, 
and  Kingsbridge  each  in  turn  rose  to  take  leave  of  old  asso- 
ciates,  which  drew  forth  remarks  from  their  companions  in 
the  Board,  and  more  than  one  tearful  eye  was  to  be  seen,  as 
the  sundering  of  old  social  and  political  ties  was  realized. 
But  when  the  retiring  Supervisors  reached  the  railroad  station 
to  proceed  to  their  respective  towns  to  complete  their  work  it 
was  found  to  their  horror  that  the  last  train  bound  southward 
had  gone ;  nothing  remained  but  to  secure  a  conveyance 
and  after  seventeen  miles  of  sleighing  the  belated  trio  of 
Supervisors  only  reached  their  respective  localities  about  nine 
o'clock  P.M. 

My  destination  was  the  Town  Hall  of  Morrisania,  where  I 
had  arranged  to  close  up  the  unfinished  business  of  the  town, 
to  carry  out  the  mandates  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  and  to 
pass  upon  all  remaining  audited  accounts,  so  as  to  wind  up 
the  affairs  of  the  town  without  owing  a  single  claimant  one 
cent.  The  hall  was  crowded  almost  to  suffocation  by  those 
who  desired  to  "  see  the  old  year  "  as  well  as  the  old  town 
"  out."  Tired  out  almost  beyond  endurance  I  managed  to 
have  all  business  duly  transacted,  and  then  as  the  hour  of 


BRONXWOOD  PARK  COTTAGES. 


28 


The  Great  North  Side. 


29 


twelve  was  at  hand  I  formally  announced  everything  ready 
for  annexation,  and  as  Supervisor  of  the  town  received  a  Com- 
mittee of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  New  York  who  had  come 
to  take  formal  possession  of  the  Town  Hall,  and  turn  it  over 
into  the  charge  of  the  Police  Department,  which  now  has 
possession.  Then  amid  general  handshakings  and  outside  firing 
of  many  guns,  the  old  town  of  Morrisania  and  the  towns  of 
West  Farms  and  Kingsbridge  expired,  and  the  City  of  New 
York  reigned  supreme  over  the  new  territory  above  the  Har- 
lem River,  few  of  the  inhabitants  of  either  town  realizing  the 
labor  incident  thereto  which  had  from  first  to  last  been  per- 
formed, and  which  subsequently  remained  to  be  performed 
during:  the  legislative  session  of  1874,  in  remodelling  the  some- 
what  crude  act  of  1873. 

And  now,  having  given  some  facts  relating  to  the  annexa- 
tion  of  the  territory  now  comprised  within  the  Twenty-third 
and  Twenty-fourth  Wards,  I  might  add  a  few  figures,  from 
which  to  judge  whether  the  project  of  annexation  paid,  and 
which  it  paid  best — the  city  proper  or  the  territory  merged 
into  the  city. 

I  could  give  statistics,  relating  to  the  increase  in  real  estate 
values,  population,  police,  fire,  and  water  service,  railway  fa- 
cilities, buildings,  the  paving  of  streets,  construction  of  sewers, 
etc.,  to  evidence  the  marvellous  growth  north  of  Harlem  River 
since  the  annexed  towns  became  part  and  parcel  of  the  great 
metropolis — soon  to  become,  by  the  now  assured  project  of  a 
Greater  New  York,  the  leading  metropolis  of  the  world.  But 
having  already  extended  my  remarks  beyond  my  allotted  space, 
I  submit  the  foregoing  facts,  and  will  leave  to  abler  hands  a 
more  exhaustive  paper  on  this  subject. 


DEPARTMENT  OF  STREET  IMPROVEMENTS. 


The  Department  of  Street  [mprovements  of  the  23rd  and 
24th  Wards  is  that  branch  of  the  city  government  which 
has  charge  of  the  making  and  maintenance — the  sewering, 
regulating,  grading,  and  paving — of  the  highways,  streets, 
avenues  and  roads  in  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards.  In  other 
words,  it  is  a  Department  of  Public  Works  situated  in  and 
established  exclusively  for  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards,  a  terri- 
tory which  is  now  more  than  double  in  area  that  of  Manhattan 
Island. 

This  Department  was  created  under  chapter  545  of  the 
Laws  of  1890,  with  the  authority  to  lay  out  that  portion  of 
the  city  of  New  York  lying  north  and  east  of  the  Harlem 
River  between  the  Hudson  and  the  Sound,  the  Bronx  River 
and  the  south  line  of  Yonkers,  comprising  the  23rd  and  24th 

30 


The  Great  North  Side. 


31 


Wards,  an  area  of  12,317  acres,  or  19^  square  miles,  being 
about  200  acres  less  than  the  area  of  Manhattan  Island,  and 
to  do  such  other  work  as  was  necessarily  incidental  thereto. 

The  recent  annexation  of  a  part  of  Westchester  County, 
has  more  than  doubled  the  territory  which  formerly  consti- 
tuted the  23rd  and  24th  Wards.  The  recent  annexation  is 
authorized  by  chapter  934  of  the  Laws  of  1895,  which  says 
that : 

"  All  that  territory  comprised  within  the  limits  of  the  town 
of  Westchester,  Eastchester,  and  Pelham  which  has  not  been 
annexed  to  the  city  and  county  of  New  York  at  the  time  of 
the  passage  of  this  act,  which  lies  southerly  of  a  straight  line 
drawn  from  the  point  where  the  northerly  line  of  the  city  of 
New  York  meets  the  center  line  of  the  Bronx  River,  to  the 
middle  of  the  channel  between  Huuter's  and  Glen  Islands,  in 
Long  Island  Sound,  and  all  that  territory  lying  within  the 
incorporated  limits  of  the  village  of  Wakefield,  which  lies 
northerly  of  said  line,  with  the  inhabitants  and  estates  therein, 
is  hereby  set  off  from  the  county  of  Westchester  and  annexed 
to,  merged  in,  and  made  part  of  the  city  and  county  of  New 
York,  and  of  the  twenty-fourth  Ward  of  the  said  city  and 
county,  and  shall  hereafter  constitute  a  part  of  the  city  and 
county  of  New  York,  and  of  the  twenty-fourth  Ward  of  said 
city  and  county,  subject  to  the  same  laws,  ordinances,  regula- 
tions, obligations,  and  liabilities,  and  entitled  to  the  same 
rights,  privileges,  franchises,    .    .  ." 

The  task  originally  intrusted  to  the  Department  of  Street 
Improvements  provided  for  the  conversion  of  about  fifty 
village  lay-outs  and  a  vast  area  of  unimproved  and  unde- 
veloped land  into  a  modern  city  system.  It  included  the 
preparation  of  the  exact  working  plans  according  to  which  a 
great  city  should  be  constructed  or  completed.  To  be  satis- 
factory, the  lay-out  or  street  plan  should  be  comprehensive 
and  systematic,  and  should  be  adopted  with  a  view  to  the 
needs  of  the  future  as  well  as  of  the  present. 

To  quote  from  a  recent  official  report : 


32 


The  Great  North  Side. 


33 


"It  must  provide  that  the  grades  of  streets  shall  never 
be  excessive,  and  that  the  easiest  shall  be  on  main  thorough- 
fares. It  must  provide  that  there  shall  be  sufficient  inclina- 
tion to  the  streets  to  give  speedy  drainage.  It  must  provide 
streets  that  will  conform  best  to  the  topographical  features  of 
the  drainage  area  or  water-shed  through  which  the  main  lines 
of  sewers  can  be  constructed  with  the  greatest  facility  and 
with  the  least  expense;  it  must  take  into  consideration  the 
present  and  future  appearances  of  the  streets,  and  that  there 
shall  be  ample  opportunity  of  placing  large  and  important 
buildings  where  architectural  effects  shall  be  enhanced,  and 
light  and  air  secured  ;  it  must  provide  broad  thoroughfares  to 
the  new  system  of  parks,  and  at  the  most  eligible  points.  It 
should  provide  for  business  and  manufacturing  sections  as 
well  as  for  suburban  districts  for  residences.  It  must  provide 
for  readiest  access  to  railroad  stations  and  the  water-front.  It 
should  arrange  for  safety  at  all  railroad  crossings.  All  these 
considerations  have  to  be  regarded,  in  addition  to  innumera- 
ble special  problems  that  constantly  arise." 

The  creation  of  the  Department  of  Street  Improvements 
has  been  one  of  historical  interest  in  the  development  of  local 
municipal  government.  The  jurisdiction  of  New  York  City 
before  January  1,  1874,  was  confined  to  Manhattan  Island, 
and  the  islands  lying  in  the  East  river,  then  as  now  used  for 
public  institutions.  A  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  the  question 
of  annexation  to  Manhattan  Island  was  very  earnestly  dis- 
cussed by  the  people  of  the  towns  of  West  Farms,  Morrisania, 
and  Kingsbridge,  in  the  county  of  Westchester. 

The  town  of  West  Farms  was  incorporated  under  the 
provisions  of  chapter  279  of  the  Laws  of  1846.  The  town  of 
Morrisania,  with  an  area  of  2,729  acres,  was  taken  from  West 
Farms  and  incorporated  as  a  special  town  under  chapter  210 
of  the  Laws  of  1856.  The  town  of  Kin^bridffe  was  not 
incorporated  until  immediately  prior  to  annexation. 

The  Legislature,  by  chapter  826  of  the  Laws  of  1869, 
authorized  the  Commissioners  of  the  Central  Park  to  cause 
surveys  to  be  made  of  that  part  of  Westchester  County  west 


34 


The  Great  North  Side. 


35 


of  the  New  York  tfc  Harlem  Railroad  and  south  of  the  village 
of  Yonkers,  and  to  lay  out  streets  within  the  area  described. 
This  work  was  going  on  when  chapter  137  and  chapter  383 
of  the  Laws  of  1 8 7<  which  re-organized  the  New  York  City 
government,  incidentally  created  the  Department  of  Public 
Parks,  and  transferred  to  this  Department  the  authority  in- 
vested in  the  Central  Park  Commissioners.  Chapter  534  of 
the  Laws  of  1871  gave  the  Park  Department  additional  power 
to  survey  that  part  of  Westchester  County  from  the  Harlem 
river  easterly  to  Hutchinson  Creek  and  to  lay  out  streets. 
It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  territory,  although  nominally 
known  as  West  Farms,  Morrisania,  and  Kingsbridge,  consti- 
tuted some  fifty  specially  laid-out  districts,  each  one  repre- 
population  in  itself.    They  had  the  follow- 


sentimx  a  centre  of 
in£  designations  • 


Mott  Haven, 
North  New  York, 
Wilton, 
Port  Moms 
Springhurst, 
East  Morrisania, 
Bensonia. 
Carr  Hill, 
Woodstock, 
Grove  Hill, 
Forest  Grove, 
Eltona, 
East  Melrose, 
Melrose  South, 
Melrose, 
North  Melrose, 
Morrisania, 


West  Morrisania, 
Hio'hbrid^eville, 
Claremont, 
In  wood, 
Morris  Heights, 
Foi'dhani  Heights, 
Mount  Eden, 
Mount  Hope, 
West  Tremont, 
Central  Morrisania. 
South  Ford  ham, 
Upper  Morrisania, 
Tremont, 
Fair  mount, 
East  Tremont, 
West  Farms, 
South  Belmont, 


Belmont, 
Adamsville, 
Prospect  Hill, 
Fordham, 
Wardsville, 
Monterey. 
Union  Hill, 
Cedar  Hill, 
Bedford  Park, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Willi  amsbridge, 
Woodlawn, 
Kingsbridge, 
Spuyten  Duyvil, 
Riverdale, 
Mosholu, 

Mount  St.  Yiucent. 


The  majority  of  the  people  of  the  territory  in  question 
were  in  favor  of  annexation.    They  were  dissatisfied  with  the 


36 


The  Great  North  Side. 


37 


administration  of  local  affairs,  which  was  nothing  more  than 
village  government,  and  believed  that  a  union  with  New 
York  City  would  be  of  great  advantage  to  them.  The  question 
of  annexation  was  warmly  agitated,  and  in  1873  the  Act  of 
Annexation  became  a  law.  It  was  amended  and  re-enacted 
to  a  substantial  extent  in  1874.  The  Act  of  1873  placed  the 
new  territory  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Department  of 
Public  Parks.  The  latter  body,  as  already  stated,  succeeded 
to  the  powers  and  authority  of  the  Central  Park  Commis- 
sioners, who  were  appointed  originally  for  the  simple  purpose 
of  laying  out,  beautifying,  and  maintaining  park  lands.  AVhen 
the  Central  Park  Commissioners  were  first  appointed,  it  was 
intended  that  they  should  have  nothing  of  consequence  to  do 
with  laying  out  of  streets,  or  building  of  sewers  or  any  work 
of  that  character,  but  they  were,  however,  invested  with  cer- 
tain }><>\\>r  over  boulevards  and  streets  on  Manhattan  Island 
north  of  59th  Street.  The  ri^ht  to  exercise  this  authority 
was.  perhaps,  the  excuse  for  increasing  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Park  P>oa.d  as  to  this  territory,  and  at  the  same  time  adding 
to  its  functions  when  annexation  came.  These  were  increased 
to  a  limit  that  now  seems  incomprehensible.  Constituted  as 
the  Park  Board  was,  it  was  really  out  of  the  question  to 
think  that  that  Department  could  cope  with  the  task  placed 
in  its  hands,  and  at  the  same  time  perform  the  other  duties 
of  Park  Commissioners. 

Under  the  Act  of  Annexation  of  1873,  the  Park  Commis- 
sioners were  given  exclusive  power  to  alter  the  grades  and 
lines  as  shown  upon  the  map  prepared  by  a  Commission 
appointed  under  chapter  841  of  the  Laws  of  1868  for  the 
special  purpose  of  surveying  and  laying  out  the  town  of 
Morrisania  It  was  intended  that  the  map  prepared  by  this 
Commission  should  be  confirmed  by  the  Act  of  Annexation, 
except  so  far  as  the  same  had  been  legally  changed  or  modi- 
fied, but  in  the  passage  of  the  bill  a  provision  was  inserted 
giving  the  Park  Commissioners  the  right  to  alter  the  lines  so 


BERTINE  BLOCK,  136TH  ST.  NEAR  WILLIS  AVE. 


3^ 


The  Great  North  Side. 


39 


confirmed  and  established  whenever  they  saw  fit.  At  the 
time  of  annexation  the  population  of  the  23d  and  24th  Wards 
was  about  35,000,  and  a  speedy  development  of  this  territory 
was  expected.  The  people  were  justified  in  expecting  it,  but 
a  rapid  development  did  not  come.  The  towns  of  West 
Farms,  Morrisania,  and  Kingsbridge  were  taken  under  the 
wing  of  Xew  York  City,  (quoting  from  the  language  of  the 
Act,) 

"subject  to  the  same  laws,  ordinances,  regulations,  obliga- 
tions and  liabilities,  entitled  to  the  same  rights,  privileges, 
franchises  and  immunities,  in  every  respect  and  to  the  same 
extent  as  if  such  territory  had  been  included  within  the  City 
and  County  of  New  York  at  the  time  of  the  grant  and  adop- 
tion of  the  first  charter  and  organization  thereof  and  had  so 
remained  up  to  the  passage  of  this  Act." 

It  can  hardly  be  said  that  the  new  part  of  the  city  obtained 
the  same  rights  and  privileges  as  Manhattan  Island.  As  the 
sequel  showed,  it  never  received  the  consideration  it  was 
legally  entitled  to  as  a  part  of  the  metropolis  from  the  officers 
in  control  of  municipal  affairs.  The  fact  was  that,  notwith- 
standing the  guarantee  of  equal  recognition  vouchsafed  by  the 
act  of  annexation,  the  23d  and  24th  Wards  were  looked  upon 
as  a  mere  suburban  locality,  that  was  more  to  be  tolerated 
than  recognized  as  a  part  of  the  city.  The  people  of  the 
"Annexed  District" — which,  by  the  way,  is  now,  after  twenty 
years,  an  insufferable  misnomer,  and  one  which  every  citizen 
having  a  pride  in  the  development  of  the  two  wards  should 
seek  to  relegate  to  oblivion— fared  as  badly  under  the  new 
regime,  practically  speaking,  as  they  did  before. 

Finally,  after  many  years  of  an  administration  of  the  affairs 
of  the  23d  and  24th  Wards  that  was  anything  but  satisfac- 
tory, property  owners  began  to  discuss  seriously  the  question 
of  having  a  local  bureau,  or  department,  that  would  prove 
more  beneficial  to  them,  as  well  as  to  the  city  at  large.  It 
was  argued  that  a  local  board  or  department  with  exclusive 
jurisdiction  would  exactly  meet  the  situation. 


The  Jol)nson  Houses,  Dawson  &  /5~6fr>  $fa 


The  Great  North  Side. 


41 


Early  in  1887,  the  23d  Ward  Property  Owners'  Associa- 
tion, then  but  a  short  time  organized,  appointed  a  committee 
to  draft  a  bill  for  a  "Street  Opening  Board"  for  the  23d  and 
24th  Wards,  to  be  located  in  said  Wards.  Meanwhile  other 
Property  Owners'  Associations  took  the  subject  up  and 
agitated  it. 

Early  in  1889,  a  bill  was  submitted  to  the  Honorable 
Hugh  J.  Grant,  then  Mayor,  and  received  his  indorsement. 
The  bill  was  entitled  : 

"  An  Act  creating  a  department  to  be  known  as  the  De- 
partment of  Street  Improvements  of  the  Twenty-third  and 
Twenty-fourth  Wards  of  the  City  of  New  York,  and  transfer- 
ring thereto  certain  powers  possessed  by  the  Department  of 
Public  Parks  of  said  city." 

The  bill  provided  that  the  Mayor  should  appoint  a  person 
residing  in  either  the  23d  or  24th  Ward  as  the  head  of  said 
department,  to  hold  office  for  six  years  from  the  first  day  of 
May,  1880.  This  bill  was  defeated,  and  at  the  same  session 
of  the  Legislature  a  Senate  Committee  was  appointed  to  make 
an  investigation  and  present  a  report  upon  the  necessity  of 
such  a  department.  This  committee  visited  personally  the 
23d  and  24th  Wards,  and  was  received  by  a  committee  from 
the  joint  tax-payers'  associations,  of  which  the  late  Louis  J. 
Heintz  was  chairman.  To  quote  from  a  printed  reference  to 
this  incident : 

"They  were  taken  upon  a  tour  of  inspection  throughout  the 
district,  and  were  compelled  to  acknowledge  that  the  demand 
for  relief  by  the  people  was  justified.  The  gentlemen  got  a 
very  practical  introduction  to  the  celebrated  mud  of  the  dis- 
trict by  having  their  carriages  break  down  and  in  having  been 
compelled  to  wade  ankle-deep  in  their  shiny  patent  leathers 
to  terra  firma.  The  late  Louis  J.  Heintz  was  the  chief  of  the 
escort  to  the  Senate  Committee  when  this  catastrophe  hap- 
pened, and  the  episode  when  referred  to  ever  since  has  been 
the  subject  of  much  merriment.    Louis  J.  Heintz  was  accused, 


42 


The  Great  North  Side. 


43 


in  a  semi-facetious  way,  by  some  members  of  tbe  committee, 
of  having  made  them  the  victim  of  a  practical  joke.  Mr. 
Heintz  always  enjoyed  the  recital  of  this  incident,  but  whether 
the  shock  to  the  nerves  and  patent  leathers  of  the  visiting 
statesmen  was  due  to  accident  or  design,  it  has  always  been 
considered  as  having  had  a  marked  effect  upon  the  conclu- 
sions of  the  committee  and  the  future  of  the  district." 

The  committee  also  gave  a  public  hearing  and  took  written 
testimony  as  to  the  advisability  or  necessity  of  a  change  of  the 
administration  of  affairs  on  the  North  Side,  and  at  the  next 
session  of  the  Legislature  presented  a  report  which  made  the 
passage  of  the  bill  creating  a  new  department  an  easier  matter. 

This  bill,  unlike  the  former  one,  made  the  office  elective 
instead  of  appointive.  It  passed  both  Houses  of  the  Legis- 
lature with  but  little  opposition,  and  was  approved  by  the 
Governor  June  7,  1890.  It  went  into  operation  on  January  1, 
1891.  Louis  J.  Heintz  was  the  first  incumbent.  He  died  in 
March,  1893,  after  which  I  had  the  honor  to  be  appointed 
temporarily,  and  subsequently,  in  November,  1893,  elected  to 
fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Commissioner  Heintz.  The  latter's 
administration,  covering  a  period  of  little  more  than  two  years, 
gave  such  general  satisfaction  that  the  people  were  highly 
pleased  with  the  transfer  of  authority  to  the  new  department. 

Those  of  our  citizens  who  were  identified  with  the  popular 
movement  of  six  years  ago  and  who  labored  zealously  for  the 
enactment  of  the  "People's  Bill"  need  no  arguments  to  con- 
vince them  of  the  beneficial  results  of  their  action  in  securing 
the  establishment  of  the  Department  of  Street  Improvements. 
They,  as  well  as  the  people  generally,  have  witnessed  through- 
out the  two  wTards  improvements  progressed  of  such  a  charac- 
ter, and  to  such  an  extent,  that  doubts  are  no  longer  entertained 
as  to  ;the  practical  advantages  secured  by  the  transfer  of 
authority  to  an  independent  Department  of  Public  Works. 

Chapter  545  of  the  Laws  of  1890  provided  that  the  Com- 
missioner of  Street  Improvements  should 


44 


The  Great  North  Side. 


45 


"  within  two  years  and  six  months  from  the  first  day  of  Janu- 
ary, eighteen  hundred  and  ninety-one,  complete  the  surveys, 
maps,  plans  and  profiles  of  all  the  streets,  roads,  avenues,  pub- 
lic squares  and  places  located  and  laid  out,  or  hereafter  to  be 
located  and  laid  out  in  said  territory  (23rd  and  24th  Wards), 
showing  the  location,  width,  grades  and  class  of  said  streets, 
roads,  avenues,  public  squares  and  places,  and  on  the  comple- 
tion thereof  the  said  commissioner  shall  submit  the  same  to 
the  said  board  of  street  opening  and  improvement  for  its  con- 
currence and  approval,  subject,  nevertheless,  to  such  correc- 
tion or  modification  as  in  the  judgment  of  a  majority  of  said 
board  may  be  advisable,  and  the  said  board  thereafter,  and  on 
or  before  the  first  day  of  January,  eighteen  hundred  and 
ninety-four,  shall  file  said  maps,  plans  and  profiles  in  the  man- 
ner now  prescribed  by  law  for  the  filing  of  such  maps,  plans 
and  profiles  by  the  said  department  of  public  parks,  except 
that  said  maps,  plans  and  profiles  shall  be  certified  to  by  the 
said  commissioner  of  street  improvements,  instead  of  by  the 
president  of  the  department  of  public  parks  or  one  of  the 
officers  or  commissioners  of  said  department,  and  except  also 
that  one  of  said  maps,  plans  and  profiles  shall  be  filed  in  the 
office  of  the  said  commissioner  of  street  improvements,  instead 
of  in  the  office  of  the  department  of  public  parks;  and  the 
said  maps,  plans  and  profiles  when  so  filed  shall  not  be  subject 
to  any  future  change  or  modification,  but  shall  be  final  and 
conclusive  as  to  the  location,  width,  grades  and  class  of  streets, 
roads,  avenues,  public  squares  and  places  exhibited  on  such 
maps,  plans  and  profiles,  as  well  as  in  respect  to  the  mayor, 
aldermen  and  commonalty  of  the  city  of  New  York,  as  in 
respect  to  the  owners  and  occupants  of  lauds,  tenements  and 
hereditaments  within  the  boundaries  aforesaid,  or  affected  by 
said  streets,  roads,  avenues,  public  squares  and  places,  and  in 
all  respects  to  all  other  persons  whomsoever." 

The  immense  amount  of  technical  labor  involved  in  the 
preparation  of  the  final  maps  of  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards  made 
it  impossible  to  complete  the  maps  within  the  time  specified 
in  Chapter  545  of  the  Laws  of  1890.  As  will  be  seen  by  the 
provisions  above  mentioned  the  Board  of  Street  Opening  and 
improvement  exercised,  as  they  do  now,  a  veto  power  on  the 


!  77}  '  = — !  '  ^    ■  '  '  f 


NORTHERN  GAS-LIGHT  CO'S  PLANT  AT  WEST  FARMS,  ON  THE  BRONX. 

From  Photo,  by  F.  C.  Berth,  Tremont. 


/t/  ver  Mew  Terrace,  JVJorri  s  He iqhts 

Souft)  from  Trowel/  Place 


4« 


The  Great  North  Side. 


47 


maps  presented  to  their  consideration  by  the  Commissioner  of 
Street  Improvements.  It  has  happened,  however,  generally 
speaking,  that  the  maps  presented  by  the  Commissioner  of 
Street  Improvements  have  met  with  prompt  approval  by  the 
Board  of  Street  Opening  and  Improvement,  of  which  Board 
the  Commissioner  of  Street  Improvements  is  a  member,  hav- 
ing co-equal  authority  in  the  Board  in  all  matters  appertain- 
ing to  the  street  svstem  of  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards.  It 
cannot  be  said  that  the  filing  of  the  maps  was  in  any  way 
delayed  by  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Street  Opening  and 
Improvement ;  yet  a  good  deal  of  labor  is  necessarily  involved 
in  the  mere  preparation  of  the  resolutions  and  other  matter 
for  presentation  to  the  Board  of  Street  Opening  and  Improve- 
ment which  sometimes  involve  the  reference  of  questions  that 
arise,  to  the  Counsel  to  the  Corporation.  It  was  seen  by  my 
predecessor  that  the  time  allowed  by  Chapter  545  of  the  Laws 
of  1890  for  the  preparation  of  the  final  maps  was  too  short, 
and  hence  at  his  instance  Chapter  545  of  the  Laws  of  1890 
was  amended  by  Chapter  443  of  the  Laws  of  1893  to  the 
effect  that  the  time  limit  for  the  completion  of  the  maps  by 
the  Commissioner  of  Street  Improvements  was  changed  to  the 
first  day  of  July,  1895,  and  the  time  for  the  filing  of  the  maps 
was  extended  by  the  same  act  to  "  on  or  before  the  first  day 
of  January,  1896." 

I  pledged  myself  after  my  appointment  to  office  to  com- 
plete the  maps  of  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards  as  our  territory 
then  existed  within  the  time  allowed  by  Chapter  443  of  the 
Laws  of  1893.  It  has  been  one  of  the  most  gratifying  inci- 
dents of  my  official  career  that  although  for  a  long  time  crip- 
pled as  to  proper  accommodation  and  facilities  for  the  com- 
pletion of  these  maps  I  have  been  able  to  carry  out  this 
pledge.  I  filed  with  the  proper  authorities  before  the  end  of 
the  year  1895  the  last  of  the  final  maps  of  the  23rd  and  24th 
Wards. 

The  same  sort  of  work  exactly  as  to  street  lay-out  will  have 


SCENIC  STUDIO.  WALTON  AVE.,  NEAR  CHEEVER  PLACE. 


SPIES  BLOCK,  LINCOLN  AVE.  AND  SO.  BOULEVARD. 


43 


The  Great  North  Side. 


49 


to  be  repeated  in  the  territory  added  to  the  city  and  county 
of  New  York  by  Chapter  934  of  the  Laws  of  1895.  A  topo- 
graphical survey  must  be  made  of  the  entire  district  showing 
the  existing  lay-outs,  the  elevations  above  high  water,  the 
position  and  extent  of  all  the  roads,  streets,  avenues  and  lanes, 
all  division  lines  and  boundaries  of  properties,  and  all  build- 
ings, creeks,  brooks,  visible  rock  surfaces,  etc.  It  will  take 
about  three  years  to  complete  this  work,  and  it  will  cost 
about  $150,000  for  the  topographical  survey.  The  sum  of 
s4<  >,000  has  already  been  appropriated  for  1896  for  this  pur- 
pose. The  survey  will  be  a  complete  one,  and  the  resultant 
map  will  be  a  foundation  plan  and  basis  for  all  future  work, 
and  immediately  after  its  completion  the  street  lay-out  of  the 
new  section  can  be  perfected. 

The  towns,  villages,  etc.,  in  the  territory  recently  annexed, 
east  of  the  Bronx  River,  are  : — 


Bartow, 
Bay  ch  ester, 
Br<  raxdJIe, 
Bronx  Wood  Park, 
Cherry  Tree  Point, 
City  Island, 
Classen's  Point, 
Cornell's  Neck, 
Eastchester, 
Edenwald, 
Ferry  Point, 
Fort  Schuyler, 
( ri\  an  Homestead, 
Goose  Island. 
Hart's  Island, 


High  Island, 
Hunter's  Island, 
Jacksonyille, 
Jerome, 
Lacona, 
Locust  Point, 
Ludlow  Island, 
Middletown, 
Morrell  Park, 
Morris  Park, 
Olinville, 
Park  Versailles, 
Pelham  Neck, 
Pennyfield, 
Rodman's  Neck, 


Schuylerville, 
Seton  Homestead, 
So.  Mount  Vernon, 
So.  Washingtonville, 
Stinardstown, 
Throo-cr's  Neck, 
Twin  Island, 
Unionport, 
Van  Nest, 
Wakefield, 
Wash  i  n  gton  ville, 
Westchester, 
West  Farms, 
Williamsbridge, 
Wright's  Island. 


The  parks  and  parkways  in  the  new  territory  are  Bronx 
Park,  Bronx  and  Pelham  Parkway  and  Pelham  Bay  Park. 
Pelham  Bay  Park,  the  easterly  half  of  Bronx  Park,  and 


5o 


The  Great  North  Side. 


51 


the  Bronx  and  Pelham  Parkway,  comprising  about  2100  acres 
of  ]and,  are  within  the  limits  of  the  old  towns  of  Westchester, 
Eastchester  and  Pelham. 

There  are  about  14,500  acres  in  the  new  district  east  of 
the  Bronx  River,  and  about  100  miles  of  streets  in  use. 

The  most  notable  street  improvement  proposed  in  the  23rd 
and  24th  Wards  is  the  Grand  Boulevard  and  Concourse. 
This  project  was  first  made  public  during  the  administration 
of  my  predecessor,  and  I  have  had  the  honor  of  being  instru- 
mental in  having  it  receive  le<^al  sanction.  The  Commissioner 
of  Street  Improvements  of  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards  was 
authorized,  by  Chapter  130  of  the  Laws  of  1895,  to  lay  out  and 
establish  a  Grand  Boulevard  and  Concourse  together  with  not 
more  than  fifteen  (15)  roads  running  transversely  under  said 
Grand  Boulevard  and  Concourse,  as  follows  :  Commencing  at 
a  point  on  East  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-first  street,  in  said 
city,  at  the  intersection  of  said  street  and  Mott  avenue,  run- 
ning thence  in  a  northerly  direction  and  embracing  Mott 
avenue  to  East  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-fifth  street ;  thence 
curving  to  the  right  and  in  a  northerly  direction  intersecting 
East  One  Hundred  and  Seventy-fourth  street  (formerly  Wal- 
nut street),  at  Belmont  avenue  (formerly  Fourth  avenue), 
continuing  thence  to  a  point  intersecting  East  One  Hundred 
and  Seventy-seventh  street,  at  Morris  avenue  (formerly  Mon- 
roe avenue),  thence  northerly  to  the  intersection  of  East  One 
Hundred  and  Eighty-second  street  with  Byer  avenue ;  thence 
northerly  and  embracing  Byer  avenue  to  Highbridge  road  ; 
thence  northerly  and  embracing  Anthony  avenue  to  Potter 
place  ;  thence  northerly  on  a  straight  line  to  Mosholu  park- 
way, intersecting  its  south  side  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  east  of  Jerome  avenue. 

Ten  thousand  dollars  was  appropriated  under  the  act  last 
year  for  preliminary  surveys.  Commissioners  were  appointed 
to  award  damages,  and  they  have  made,  I  am  informed,  most 
satisfactory  progress  with  their  task.    No  time  is  fixed  for 


ffes/c/ence  of  EmesHHa//  &<i 
Boston  /I i/ 


52 


The  Great  North  Side. 


53 


the  construction  of  this  Grand  Boulevard  and  Concourse,  but 
when  completed  it  will  be  the  most  magnificent  thoroughfare 
in  the  world.  The  Grand  Boulevard  and  Concourse,  under 
the  act,  will  be  182  feet  wide. 

Before  closing  this  article,  perhaps  it  would  be  well  to 
call  attention  to  the  proposed  sewer  and  highway  in  the 
counties  of  New  York  and  Westchester  through  the  Bronx 
Valley.  Under  the  provisions  of  Chapter  1021  of  the  Laws 
of  1895,  a  commission  was  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  expe- 
diency of  constructing  a  sewer  along  the  valley  on  the  edge 
of  the  Bronx  River  and  to  report  such  recommendations  as  it 
might  deem  proper.  The1  proposed  trunk  sewer  is  of  special 
interest  to  the  people  of  the  new  portion  of  the  24th  Ward, 
as,  when  completed,  a  part  of  the  sewage  system  of  this 
department  will  connect  with  the  proposed  trunk  sewer. 

The  members  of  the  commission  appointed  in  the  act, 
were  the  Mayor  of  New  York,  Mayor  of  Yonkers,  Commis- 
sioner of  Street  Improvements  of  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards, 
Mayor  of  Mount  Yernon  and  the  Chairman  of  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  of  the  County  of  Westchester.  Mr.  Fordham 
Morris,  president  of  the  commission,  as  well  as  the  other 
commissioners,  Messrs.  Archibald  S.  Van  Orden,  Charles  Hill 
Willson,  William  Delavan  Baldwin  and  James  Wood,  were 
appointed  in  pursuance  of  the  act,  by  the  Governor.  This 
commission  completed  its  work  before  the  end  of  1895,  and 
the  sewer  which  it  proposes  will  run  from  the  Kensico  Dam 
south  to  the  north  line  of  Bronx  Park,  thence  easterly  to  the 
channel  of  the  Lon^  Island  Sound  at  or  near  Hi^h  Island. 

The  land  proposed  to  be  used  for  the  sewer  is  also  pro- 
posed to  be  used  as  a  highway,  as  far  as  practicable,  and  the 
beauties  of  the  Bronx  River  the  entire  length  of  the  valley 
will  be  preserved. 

The  following  tabulated  comparison  will  probably  give 
a  general  idea  of  what  has  been  and  what  is  being  done  to 
build  up  the  North  Side  : 


14 


The  Great  North  Side. 


55 


WORK  DONE. 


KIND  OF 

17  YEARS. 

5  YEARS. 

Regulating,  Grading, 

1  dvlllg,    4114  Ocv\ellIlJ^ 

of  Avenues  and  Streets 
in  the  23rd  and  24th 

From  Jan- 
uary 1,  1874, 
to  December 
31,  1890. 

Annual 
Average. 

From  Jan- 
uary 1,  1891. 
to  December 
31,  1895. 

Annual 
Average. 

Wards. 

xVliles. 

No. 

Miles. 

No. 

Miles. 

No. 

Miles. 

No. 

Regulated  and  (xraded 

24.00 

1.41 

38.96 

7.79 

Curb-stones  set  .... 

Flagging  laid  

Crosswalks  laid  .... 

39.72 
37.06 
5.51 

2.34 
2.18 
0.33 

83.50 
62.41 
9.76 

16.68 
12.48 
1.95 

ravemeiit  laid  

10.91 

0.64 

21.54 

4.31 

Repaying  Third 

Avenue  

Asphalt  Willis  Avenue 

Sewers  built  

Sewer  Manholes 

33.39 

1.96 

2  24 
0  76 
37.72 

7.54 

constructed .    .  . 
Receiving-.  »asi  ns 

Avenues  and  Streets 

1603 
567 

94.3(1 

33.35 

2067. 
429 

413.4 

85.8 

legally  opened  .  . 

49.61 

2.92 

49.0(1 

9.40 

There  are  now  altogether  130  miles  of  legally  opened 
streets  in  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards. 

Willis  avenue  was  paved  with  asphalt  in  the  fall  of  1895. 
It  was  the  first  asphalt  laid  in  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards. 

The  cost  of  the  assessable  improvements  made  during  the 
five  (5)  years  ending  December  31,  1895,  amounted  to  $5,235,- 
887.16;  averaging  $1,047,177.43  per  annum. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  the  23rd  and  24th  Wards  in  the 
year  1890  was  $44,448,914,  and  in  the  year  1895  $65,885,155, 
an  increase  in  five  (5)  years  of  $21,436,241,  being  an  annual 
average  increase  of  $4,287,248,  which  shows  plainly  that  the 
increase  in  real-estate  valuations  has  kept  pace  with  the  im- 
provements made. 


The  Great  North  Side. 


The  experience  obtained  by  the  Department  of  Street 
Improvements  in  perfecting  the  street  system  in  the  territory 
which  formerly  constituted  the  23rd  and  24tk  Wards  will  be 
of  marked  advantage  in  the  laying  out  and  improvement  of 
that  portion  of  Westchester  County  recently  annexed  to  New 
York,  and  as  a  logical  sequence  will  be  of  great  advantage  to 
the  residents  of  that  section  also. 

There  is  every  sign  of  a  rapid  and  healthy  progress  north- 
ward, and  with  increased  rapid-transit  facilities  and  a  proper 
utilization  of  the  very  valuable  water-front  advantages  of  the 
entire  23d  and  24th  Wards,  I  predict  that  in  a  very  few  years 
our  territory  will  not  only  be  the  garden  spot  of  the  metropo- 
lis, but  will  be  a  vigorous  rival,  so  to  speak,  in  commercial 
supremacy  with  that  part  of  the  city  within  the  confines  of 
Manhattan  Island. 


♦ 


COMMERCIAL  ADVANTAGES. 


The  North  Side  of  New  York,  /.  e.,  the  territory  above  the 
Harlem  River,  bears  a  similar  relation  to  the  city  at  large 
that  the  Great  West  does  to  the  country — a  land  of  great 
promise  of  infinite  possibilities,  and  the  seat  of  future  empire. 
No  city  in  the  world  has  such  a  wealth  of  public  parks  and 
pleasure  grounds  as  lie  witmn  its  area  ;  no  city  in  the  world 
has  such  natural  and  economical  advantages  for  commerce,  or 
on  so  grand  a  scale.  None  has  a  more  salubrious  climate,  or 
such  a  variety  of  surface,  nor  has  any  other  city  such  abun- 
dant facilities  of  passenger  transit  and  land  traffic. 

Its  resources  are  the  resources  of  the  continent,  for  behind 
it,  and  tributary  to  it,  are  all  the  products  of  the  continent 
and  all  its  commercial  necessities.  Its  growth  is  only  limited 
by  the  growth  and  development  of  American  civilization.  Its 

58 


The  Great  North  Side. 


59 


position  in  the  past  and  in  the  future  has  been  fixed  by  nature's 
fiat,  and  nothing  but  the  upheaval  of  the  continent,  or  its 
subsidence  in  the  sea,  can  change  the  topographical  and  hydro- 
graphical  conditions  which  have  made  it  what  it  is,  and  which 
will  make  it,  in  a  very  limited  period  of  time,  the  most  popu- 
lous, the  most  prosperous  and  the  wealthiest  city  on  the  Globe. 

The  North  Side  of  the  city  is,  in  shape,  an  irregular 
parallelogram,  bounded  on  three  sides  by  navigable  waters, 
while  nearly  half  of  the  remaining  boundary  makes  up  the 
northerly  limit  of  the  great  public  park  area  of  the  city. 
This  North  Side  is,  in  its  topography,  unlike  that  of  Manhattan 
Island.  The  latter  consists  of  an  almost  continuous  central 
ridge,  running  north  and  south,  from  which  the  land  surface 
descends  east  and  west  to  the  North  and  East  rivers,  the 
whole  being  about  twelve  miles  long,  averaging  a  little  over 
a  mile  in  width,  its  greatest  width  at  one  point  being  but  two 
and  a  half  miles,  while  the  average  width  of  the  North  Side 
is  more  than  six  miles,  and,  instead  of  one  elevated  ridge,  there 
are  three  parallel  lines  of  elevation,  and  three  corresponding 
valleys  of  depression. 

In  this  outline  of  its  topography  can  be  traced  the  basis  of 
its  commercial  facilities.  All  of  the  depressions  are  suitable 
for,  and  are  actually  in  use  as,  channels  of  commerce  in  the  form 
of  great  trunk  lines  of  railway.  This  fact  is  sufficient  in  itself 
to  demonstrate  the  remarkable  commercial  facilities  of  this 
entire  area  so  far  as  land  traffic  is  concerned.  Not  only  is  a 
general  system  of  rapid  transit  thus  made  secure,  but  a 
thorough  system  of  freight  transit  is  established  along  the 
entire  lines  of  these  railways,  so  that  manufactories  of  every 
kind  can  distribute,  from  their  doors,  their  commodities  to  the 
entire  continent  without  breaking  bulk,  and,  in  return,  secure 
the  raw  material  from  any  source  where  it  is  available. 

It  does  not  require  a  moment's  reflection  to  understand 
how  much  this  diminishes  the  cost  of  handling  material, 
either  crude  or  manufactured,  and  thus  increases  the  profits  to 


The  Great  North  Side. 


61 


the  producer  as  well  as  diminishing  the  costs  to  the  consumer. 
These  trunk  lines  of  railway  connect  with  the  entire  railway 
system  of  the  continent,  North,  South,  East,  and  West,  so  that 
the  entire  continental  network  of  railways,  nearly  two  hundred 
thousand  miles  in  extent,  are  directly  tributary  to  this  favored 
locality. 

Not  only  the  land  transit,  but  the  facilities  for  water  com- 
munication are  unique  and  far  reaching  in  their  extent.  As 
has  been  said,  three  fourths  of  this  North  Side  section  are 
bounded  by  navigable  waters.  That  is  to  say,  a  water  frontage 
equal  in  extent  to  the  entire  water  frontage  of  Manhattan 
bland  is  here  presented,  thus  doubling  the  commercial  facili- 
ties of  the  City  on  the  water  front,  giving  a  total  length  of 
shipping  front  of  more  than  fifty  miles. 

No  other  city  on  the  Globe  can  approach  New  York  in  this 
marvellous  feature,  and,  when  we  consider  what  an  immense 
advantage  is  derived  from  the  slight  variations  in  its  tidal  flow, 
by  reason  of  which  the  "  docks  "  which  characterize  the  com- 
mercial seaports  of  Europe  are  made  totally  unnecessary,  and 
the  universal  system  of  high  dues  which  they  involve  is 
avoided — the  wharfage  expenses  being  confined  here  to  a 
reasonable  charge  for  the  use  of  a  very  economically  con- 
structed series  of  wharves  and  piers — we  see  at  once  the  great 
preponderating  influence  in  our  favor  from  a  strictly  com- 
mercial standpoint. 

But  even  from  a  commercial' point  of  view  we  must  also 
consider  the  advantages  offered  by  the  elevated  ridges  which 
separate  the  valleys,  so  favorably  situated  for  commerce,  as 
admirable  places  of  residences  for  the  operators  in  the  facto- 
ries, and  persons  employed  in  commercial  pursuits.  These 
ridges  are  salubrious,  and,  in  many  instances,  very  picturesque 
and  attractive.  Their  immediate  proximity  to  the  great  com- 
mercial highways  referred  to,  save  both  time  and  expense  in 
going  from  home  to  business  for  all  whose  employment  lies  in 
that  direction,  along  the  immediate  lines  of  traffic.    This  much 


62 


The  Great  North  Side. 


63 


favored  region  presents  other  sections  still  more  elevated, 
overlooking  a  vast  expanse  of  water,  which  must,  at  all  times, 
offer  irresistible  attractions  for  permanent  homes  for  a  very, 
large  population. 

It  is  estimated  that  eight  millions  of  persons  are  immedi- 
ately connected  with  the  business  of  the  Metropolis.  The 
nearer  these  eight  millions  can  get  to  their  places  of  employ- 
ment, and,  at  the  same  time  enjoy  the  comforts  and  well-being 
of  salubrious  homes  the  better  it  will  be  for  the  entire  com- 
munity, and,  therefore,  it  is  in  the  development  of  this  new 
and  most  attractive  region,  with  its  magnificent  system  of 
grand  parks,  and  its  wonderful  hydrographic  features,  that 
we  must  endeavor  to  exercise  a  wise  judgment,  and  an  un- 
equalled skill. 

Steam  and  electricity,  and  the  wonderful  developments  in 
the  mechanic  arts,  as  also  the  great  progress  and  improve- 
ments in  domestic  architecture,  with  its  thousand  and  one 
comforts,  and  luxuries  heretofore  unknown,  have  done  more 
for  human  happiness  in  five  years  than  a  half  a  century  ac- 
complished with  the  old  order  of  things.  Let  us  thank  God 
for  all  this,  and  take  the  fullest  advantage  of  the  blessings  we 
enjoy. 

And  now  there  remains  to  speak  of  the  remarkable  com- 
mercial advantages  which  have  been  developed  by  the  opening 
of  the  Harlem  River  to  navigation.  The  official  celebration 
of  this  important  event  took  place  on  the  17th  day  of  June 
1895,  with  imposing  ceremonies.  The  General  Government, 
the  State  Government,  and  the  Municipal  authorities  united 
to  make  the  occasion  a  notable  one  in  the  history  of  the  City 
and  the  State. 

Two  men-of-war,  and  all  the  military  forces  of  the  United 
States  Government  in  and  about  the  Harbor,  formed  the 
naval  and  military  part  of  the  display,  while  the  Civil  au- 
thorities were  represented  by  the  various  appliances  of  the 
several  departments,  and  the  different  trades  and  manufactures 


The  Great  North  Side. 


65 


united  to  form  a  pageant  of  no  ordinary  interest.  A  general 
holiday  was  officially  declared,  and  many  thousands  lined  the 
routes  of  the  land  and  water  pageants,  the  day  closing  with  a 
banquet  and  display  of  fireworks. 

Already  there  has  been  added  a  remarkable  impetus  to 
the  trade  and  commerce  of  this  whole  region  by  reason  of  the 
great  advantages  it  possesses  being  thus  made  widely  known. 
It  would  be  a  difficult  matter  to  overestimate  the  commercial 
and  manufacturing  future  of  this  entire  region.  No  intelli- 
gent person  can  witness  the  busy  activity  that  is  apparent  in 
every  branch  of  industry,  and  the  vast  coucourse  of  people 
continually  passing  to  and  fro,  without  recognizing  the  fact 
that  the  day  of  inertia  has  passed,  and  the  hour  of  progress 
and  development  has  come,  every  day  and  hour  adding  to 
the  impetus  it  has  received. 

The  Harlem  River  as  a  factor  in  the  commercial  life  of 
New  York  has  been  looked  forward  to  with  a  great  deal  of 
interest  for  a  number  of  years.  The  necessary  delay  in  ob- 
taining the  requisite  appropriations  and  the  time  required  for 
prosecuting  the  work  of  improvement  was  a  matter  to  be 
expected. 

But  this  important  addition  to  the  commercial  necessities 
of  the  Metropolis,  being  now  so  far  completed  that  it  has  been 
thrown  open  for  the  purposes  of  general  commerce,  we  are 
enabled  to  see  from  actual  results  how  far  it  has  met  the  ex- 
pectations of  its  promoters.  Already  the  brick  and  lumber 
interests  have  felt  the  stimulus  and  have  nearly  absorbed  all 
the  wharf  facilities  that  were  provided  for  their  possible 
demands. 

The  whole  river  presents  a  scene  of  activity  and  business 
energy  that  is  a  marvel  to  behold.  What  it  will  be  when  the 
shipping  facilities  at  East  Harbor  are  completed  so  that  the 
grain  trade  can  participate  in  the  great  advantages  that  will 
then  be  offered  may  be  imagined  from  what  has  already  taken 
place.    The  relief,  even  now,  that  has  come  to  the  shipping 


West 


Go 


The  Great  North  Side. 


67 


in  the  lower  part  of  the  city,  through  the  use  of  the  Harlem 
River,  is  clearly  perceptible.  All  the  long  line  of  barges  that 
now  leave  the  Hudson  at  Spuyten  Duyvil,  was  formerly  com- 
pelled to  double  the  battery  and  fairly  blocked  the  way  of 
the  great  steamship  lines.  This  obstruction  will  be  less  and 
less  as  wharf  accommodations  are  found  for  other  branches  of 
industry. 

But  more  than  all  this,  we  are  now  in  a  position  to  offer 
to  all  the  varied  industries  of  the  country,  facilities  that  can- 
not be  found  elsewhere.  Materials  and  skilled  labor  for  manu- 
facturing purposes  are  more  readily  and  more  cheaply  obtained 
at  tide  water  and  in  the  vicinity  of  large  populations  than 
anywhere  else. 

The  powerful  influences  of  the  inventive  genius  of  the  age, 
new  forms  of  industry,  new  adaptations  of  motive  power  and 
labor  saving  conceptions  of  every  kind  are  constantly  being 
evolved.  In  large  industrial  centres  there  can  always  be  found 
in  sufficient  numbers  the  class  of  persons  who  from  their 
familiarity  with  mechanical  employments  can  readily  adapt 
themselves  to  new  inventions  and  new  appliances.  Thus  the 
labor  and  the  materials  are  at  the  very  doors  of  those  who 
desire  to  enter  upon  a  new  or  improved  field  of  industry,  and 
obtainable  at  the  most  economical  cost. 

This  it  is  that  has  made  New  York  the  largest  manu- 
facturing city  on  the  Continent,  and  which  will  enable  the 
Metropolis  to  maintain  its  supremacy,  in  this  as  well  as  in 
every  other  field  of  enterprise. 

THE  EAST  HARBOR. 

The  East  Harbor  of  New  York,  which  is  formed  by  the 
junction  of  the  East  River,  the  Harlem  River,  and  Long  Island 
Sound,  has  now  become  an  important  factor  in  the  commercial 
affairs  of  the  city,  more  especially  since  the  recent  addition 
of  territory.  The  whole  length  of  this  additional  territory 
(more  than  six  miles)  lies  upon  this  fine  harbor  with  ample 


68 


The  Great  North  Side. 


69 


water  space  and  ample  depth  of  water  for  the  largest  vessel 
afloat.  The  numerous  indentations  in  the  water-front  have 
been  made  available  by  the  Harbor  Line  Board  for  large  basins 
admirably  adapted  to  the  canal  trade,  for  ship-building,  float- 
ing docks,  and  grain  elevators.  In  fact  this  superb  body  of 
water  approached  by  the  way  of  Long  Island  Sound  directly 
from  the  ocean  with  no  bar  or  other  obstructions,  or  from  the 
lower  bay  by  the  East  River  if  necessary,  is  one  of  the  finest 
harbors  in  the  world. 

Here  the  entire  canal  trade  and  Hudson  River  traffic  can 
be  centred  with  every  possible  convenience  for  trans-ship- 
ment with  ocean-going  steamers.  The  entire  coast  traffic  of 
the  New  England  States  passes  through  this  harbor  includ- 
ing the  mammoth  passenger  steamers  of  the  Sound  that  rival 
in  size  and  passenger  accommodation  the  largest  steamships 
in  the  world.  What  all  this  is  to  be  in  the  commerce  of  the 
City  of  New  York  can  be  readily  comprehended. 

There  are  no  limits  to  its  possibilities  since  it  is  a  vast  land- 
locked basin  larger  in  extent  than  any  other  body  of  water 
so  well  adapted  to  a  similar  purpose.  The  great  advantages 
that  are  presented  along  this  water-front  for  manufacturing 
establishments  on  a  large  scale  are  already  being  understood 
and  plans  are  on  foot  looking  to  an  early  occupation  of  favor- 
able sites  for  this  purpose.  The  active  competition  in  all  in- 
dustrial pursuits  has  made  it  a  matter  of  absolute  necessity, 
that  every  advantage  of  natural  and  artificial  facilities  should 
be  availed  of  in  the  interest  of  economy,  as  everything  by 
which  time  and  labor  can  be  saved  must  be  carefully  consid- 
ered in  order  to  meet  the  sharp  lines  that  exist  in  all  the 
departments  of  industry. 

Here  are  the  freight  terminals  of  two  great  trunk  lines  that 
embrace  with  their  connections  the  entire  continent.  From 
their  very  doors  the  manufacturers  may  ship  their  products 
that  will  be  conveyed  in  unbroken  bulk  by  rail  or  steamer  to 
every  part  of  the  United  States,  Mexico,  Canada,  and  to  every 


The  Great  North  Side. 


71 


seaport  in  the  world,  and  in  return  secure  the  raw  material  at 
the  lowest  rates  from  any  available  source.  A  line  of  steamers 
is  now  negotiating  for  piers,  and  other  trunk  lines  of  railroads 
are  seeking  terminals  at  this  point.  The  coming  year  will  see 
a  commercial  revolution  in  this  part  of  the  City  if  the  plans 
now  being  prepared  are  carried  out. 


RAILWAY  FACILITIES. 


To  the  student  of  sociology  nothing  is  more  interesting 
than  urban  growth.  The  phenomenal  growtfi  of  cities  through- 
out the  work],  but  more  especially  in  the  United  States  and 
Europe,  is  noticeable.  In  the  last  few  years  man  lias  sought 
out  many  inventions  to  ameliorate  his  condition  and  to  relieve 
human  life  of  unnecessary  friction,  so  that  the  humblest  citi- 
zen is  now  better  clothed,  fed,  and  protected  from  disease  by 
sanitary  regulations  than  the  king  of  a  century  ago.  These 
favorable  conditions  are  inherent  in  city  life,  and  urban  growth 
has  its  support,  therefore,  in  a  natural  law  of  evolution,  the 
survival  of  the  fittest.  Following  this  process  of  aggregation 
is  the  consideration  of  adequate  facilities  for  inter-communica- 
tion, and  man's  cunning  a^ain  comes  to  his  aid  in  solving  this 

problem.    Electricity,  that  most  wonderful  principle,  invisible, 

72 


The  Great  North  Side. 


73 


imponderable,  but  which,  strange  to  say,  can  be  measured  and 
sold,  has  been  harnessed  to  man's  needs,  and,  by  the  applica- 
tion of  the  trolley,  the  inhabitants  of  cities  can  now  travel  from 
one  extremity  of  their  city  to  another  in  the  most  comfortable 
and  convenient  cars,  propelled,  lighted,  and  heated  by  this 
subtle  fluid,  and,  by  a  system  of  transfers,  with  great  cheap- 
ness. Soon  the  overhead  trolley  will,  in  the  writer's  opinion, 
give  way  to  the  underground  trolley,  and  then  the  problem  of 
inter-mural  transit  will  have  reached  almost  perfection.1 

Considering  more  particularly  the  subject  of  this  article  in 
its  local  application,  it  may  be  remarked  that  in  no  other 
locality  has  there  been  so  much  wisdom  and  foresight  shown 
on  the  part  of  its  people  as  in  making  timely  and  adequate 
provision  to  receive  the  multitudes  now  crowding  across  the 
Harlem  River  to  settle  between  the  latter  and  the  Hutchin- 
son River,  including  the  towns  of  West  and  East  Chester,  re- 
cently annexed.  The  North  Side  Board  of  Trade,  and 
numerous  other  associations,  have  taken  the  deepest  inter- 
est in  this  problem,  as  evidenced,  for  instance,  by  their 
cordial  support  of  the  recent  application  of  a  traction  com- 
pany for  the  use  of  certain  streets  not  already  granted  in  the 
Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards  ;  and  it  was  owing 
mainly  to  this  interest  expressed  to  the  public  authorities  and 
the  press  that  unanimous  consent  was  given  to  the  application 
by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  and  approved  by  the  Mayor,  with 
his  especial  commendation.  And  the  public  may  be  assured, 
that  at  a  period  not  remote  an  efficient  service,  with  transfers 
and  cheap  fares,  \vi\l  be  established  in  the  streets  embraced 
within  this  grant  of  some  twenty  miles  in  the  Twenty-third 
and  Twenty-fourth  Wards,  and  in  addition  thereto  some 
twelve  miles  in  the  new  annexed  district,  granted  by  the  local 
authorities  before  annexation. 


1  Since  the  preparation  of  this  article,  The  Metropolitan  Traction  Company, 
after  various  experiments,  have  adopted  the  underground  trolley,  and  it  is  now 
being  introduced  on  their  lines  throughout  the  city. 


The  Great  North  Side. 


75 


It  is  not  alone  that  the  trolley  has  come  to  the  North  Side 
to  stimulate  its  growth  in  all  points  of  the  compass,  but  in 
addition  thereto  the  elevated  railroad  is  now  in  operation  to 
Oue-hundred-and-seventy-seventh  Street,  or  Tremont  Avenue, 
which  line  is  soon  to  be  extended  to  Fordham,  and  by  which  a 
passenger  is  now  carried  from  the  Battery  nearly  the  whole 
length  of  the  city,  without  change  of  cars,  for  five  cents. 
Also,  "rapid  transit  trains,"  so  called,  are  now  being  run  at 
frequent  intervals  from  the  heart  of  the  city — Forty-second 
Street  Grand  Central  Station — to  the  northern  limits  of  the 
city,  over  the  Harlem  Railroad.  This  service  has  been  greatly 
improved  by  the  completion  of  the  new  steel  viaduct,  now  in 
full  operation.  Then  again,  the  westerly  section  of  the  North 
Side  has  the  benefit  of  an  express  service  from  the  Battery 
over  the  Sixth  and  Ninth  Avenue  elevated  railroads  to  One- 
hundred-and-fifty-fifth  Street  and  the  Harlem  river,  and  there 
connecting  with  the  Putnam  Division  of  the  New  York  Cen- 
tral Road. 

It  may  be  observed  in  this  connection  that  the  Harlem 
Railroad,  the  New  York  Central  (Putnam  Division)  Road, 
the  elevated  railroad  and  the  existing  trolley  road,  for  the 
most  part,  extend  in  a  northerly  and  southerly  direction, 
nearly  parallel  to  each  other,  while  the  new  People's  Traction 
Company  will  supplement  the  service  of  these  roads  in  a 
transverse  direction.  The  problem  of  the  underground  rapid 
transit  service,  which  has  been  so  constantly  before  the  people 
for  the  last  ten  years,  and  which  has  at  last  resulted  in  an  Act 
for  an  appropriation  of  some  fifty  millions  of  dollars,  will  ere 
long  become  an  accomplished  fact,  and  be  extended  to  the 
northern  limits  of  the  city,  through  the  Twenty-third  and 
Twenty-fourth  Wards.1 

1  As  this  article  goes  to  press  it  is  announced  that  the  report  of  the  Commis- 
sion favoring  the  construction  of  the  underground  rapid  transit  road  will  be  con- 
firmed at  an  early  date  by  the  Appellate  Division  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  the 
work  will  probably  be  under  way  by  the  opening  of  the  new  year.  The  route 
laid  out  by  the  Commission,  it  will  be  observed,  strikes  the  Twenty-third  Ward 


76 


The  Great  North  Side. 


77 


It  may  not  be  foreign  to  the  writer's  subject  to  refer  to 
the  successful  labors  of  the  Commissioner  of  Streets  for  the 
Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards  in  that  in  a  remark- 
ably short  time  since  his  office  was  established,  there  have  been 
projected  and  laid  out  so  many  miles  of  streets  and  avenues, 
without  which  an  efficient  railroad  system  would  have  been 
delayed  many  years. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  give  some  definite  particu- 
lars as  to  facilities  for  passenger  transportation  afforded  by 
existing  lines. 

The  Eastern  Division  is  served  by  the  Harlem  River  Branch 
of  the  New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  Railroad,  connect- 
ing at  One-hundred-and-twenty-ninth  Street,  on  the  same  plat- 
form, by  a  change  of  cars  with  the  Second  and  Third  Avenue 
elevated  lines  to  City  Hall  and  South  Ferry  as  follows : 


Between  Onv  -hundred-and- 
Twenty-ninth  Street  and  : 

Distance  From 
Harlem  River. 

Time  From 
129th  Street. 

Monthly 
Commutation 
Rates. 

Number  of 
Trains  Daily. 

Harlem 
River. 

129th 
Street. 

South 
Bound. 

North 
Bound. 

Port  Morris  

1.20 

5 

$2.25 

$3.25 

20 

19 

Casanova  

2.30 

7 

2.25 

3.25 

18 

19 

Hunt's  Point  

2.33 

9 

2.25 

3.25 

18 

19 

West  Farms  

4.08 

13 

3.25 

4.25 

18 

19 

Van  Nest  

5.02 

16 

4.00 

5.00 

20 

20 

West  Chester  

6.00 

18 

4.25 

5.25 

20 

20 

Bay  Chester  

7.43 

22 

4.50 

5.50 

20 

20 

Bartow  and  City  Island .... 

8.50 

26 

4.75 

5.75 

20 

20 

at  One-hundred-and-forty-ninth  Street  and  Harlem  river,  extending  under  that 
street  to  Third  Avenue,  thence  up  Third  Avenue  and  Westchester  Avenue  to  a 
depression  near  Bergen  Avenue,  and  from  the  latter  point  to  be  continued  as  an 
elevated  or  surface  road  to  Bronx  Park  and  the  outlying  districts.  As  the  Fourth 
Avenue  branch  extends  to  Forty-  econd  Street,  there  is  an  assurance,  on  fairly 
good  authority,  that  the  route  will  be  extended  through  Fourth  or  Park  Avenue 
at  a  very  early  period.  The  writer  can  see  no  reason  why  the  present  Harlem 
system  cannot  now  be  immediately  utilized  in  the  extension  of  the  underground 
rapid  transit  road  from  Forty-second  Street. 


78 


The  Great  North  Side. 


79 


Trains  run  regularly,  south  bound,  one-half-hourly  in  the 
morning,  north  bound,  one-half-hourly  in  the  evening,  balance 
hourly  both  ways. 

Commutation  tickets  are  good  for  fifty-four  rides,  to  be 
used  within  the  calendar  month  for  which  they  are  sold,  all 
tickets  dating  from  the  first  of  the  month. 

The  charge  of  $1.00  per  month  for  crossing  the  Harlem 
River  can  be  saved  by  alighting  at  Willis  Avenue,  and  taking 
the  elevated  cars  at  Southern  Boulevard,  two  blocks  distant. 

School  commutation  tickets,  forty-four  rides  per  month,  are 
sold  to  those  under  eighteen  years  in  regular  attendance  at 
school  at  one  half  the  rates  to  Harlem  River,  with  an  addition 
of  $1.00  per  month  to  One-hundred-and-twenty-ninth  Street. 

Fifty-trip  family  tickets,  to  be  used  only  by  the  person  to 
whom  issued,  a  member  of  his  or  her  immediate  family,  or  a 
servant  therein,  good  for  one  year  from  date  of  issue,  are  sold 
as  follows : 

Between  Harlem  River  and : 


West  Farms   $3  10 

Van  Nest   3  80 

WestChester   4  50 

Bay  Chester   5  60 

Bartow  and  City  Island   6  -10 


The  Central  Division  is  served  by  the  Harlem  Division  of 
the  New  York  Central  &  Hudson  River  Railroad  from  Grand 
Central  Station  (Forty-second  street)  as  follows : 

A  fifty-trip  family  commutation  ticket  is  good  for  one 
year,  and  for  the  person  to  whom  it  is  issued,  any  member  of, 
visitor  to,  or  servant  in,  his  or  her  family. 

Monthly  commutation,  or  sixty-ride,  tickets  are  limited  to 
one  month  from  date  of  sale. 

School  tickets  are  sold  at  reduced  rates  on  a  graduated 
scale  diminishing  from  the  first  to  the  tenth  month. 


Ffar/emf(:7f  Station 


Harlem  7f  7p  Station 
-Bedford  T>ark 


So 


The  Great  North  Side. 


81 


— 

a 

CD 

— 

-±.vo 

to 

6.13 

17 

6.60 

1«» 

7.38 

21 

7.87 

23 

8.51 

24 

8.92 

26 

9.57 

28 

10.53 

31 

11.81 

34 

Between 
Grand  Central 
Station  and 


Mott  Haven  .  .  . 
(138th  St.) 

Melrose  

Morrisania .  .  .  . 
Claremont  Parl> 


'dhara 


Park 


Williams 
Bridge 


One-way  Fare. 

—  . 

-  _ 

3  ■- 

•-fr-" 

w 

c  . 
-  I 
c  ~ 

~  2- 

BP 

Fifty-ride  Fami- 
ly Ticket. 

Sixty-ride 

Monthly  Com- 
mut'n  Ticket. 

Number  of 
Trains  Daily. 

North 

South 

.06 

.10 

$2.50 

o  ~ 
O  < 

A  A 

40 

.10 

OA 

.20 

3.00 

26 

26 

.  10 

.20 

3.25 

25 

20 

.12 

.20 

3.50 

25 

20 

12 

.20 

$5.50 

3.70 

26 

26 

.15 

.30 

.25 

5.75 

3.80 

12 

9 

15 

.30 

.25 

6.00 

3.85 

27 

27 

.20 

.35 

25 

6.50 

4.10 

27 

31 

22 

.35 

.25 

7.00 

4.45 

27 

31 

25 

.35 

* 

7.50 

4.60 

30 

31 

The  Western  Division  is  served  by  the  Hudson  River  & 
Putnam  divisions  of  the  New  York  Central  as  follows: 


HUDSON  RIVER  DIVISION. 


■z 


-  X 


15 
17 
21 
25 
29 
31 


Distance  Between 
Grand  Central  Sta 
tion  or  Thirtieth 
Street  and 


Hi  o  h  Bridge .  .  . 
Morris  Heights. 
Kingsbridge  .  .  . 
Spuyten  Duyvii 

Riverdale  

Mt.  St.  Vincent. 


En 

.& 
"C 
H 

C 

o 


'S3 
z,  ~  - 


OJ4 


Number  of 
Trains  Daily 


North. 


South. 


.10 

.20  .... 

$3.45 

23 

18 

.15 

.25 

$5.50 

3.70 

24 

20 

15 

.30 

6.50 

4.10 

23 

21 

.20 

.40 

7.50 

4.45 

26 

24 

24 

.48 

8.00 

4.60 

26 

24 

.26 

.50 

8.75 

4.75 

25 

23 

The  Great  North  Side. 


83 


PUTNAM  DIVISION. 

From  eight  to  ten  trains  morning  and  evening  have  "  elevated  "  express  connection 
with  Sixth  and  Ninth  avenue  lines. 


c  -g 

»o 

Between 

6 
•~ 

2 

OS 

•a  c3 
S  -S  . 

93  2  +a 

Number  of 

Trains  Daily. 

The  Battery  or 

«  5  2 

South  Ferry 

EH 

§6 

Tim.'  fr< 
Street 

d 

and 

One-w 

Round 

Fifty-i 
ly  i 
tion 

Sixty- 
Mori 
unit 

North. 

South. 

1.1 

High  Bridge .... 

10 

20 

35 

33 

2.0 

i 

o  <  o 

Morris  Heights.  . 

10 

20 

$5.50 

$5.10 

35 

36 

2.8 

Fqrdtiam  Heights 

14 

28 

6.00 

5.35 

35 

36 

3.8 

Kingsbridge 

15 

30 

6.50 

5.55 

35 

36 

48 

Van  Cortlandt  .  . 

20 

35 

7.40 

6.00 

37 

36 

5.8 

r 

10 

Mosholu  

23 

40 

8.05 

6.15 

30 

33 

Kates  on  the  Putnam  Division  include  ride  on  Manhattan 
Elevated  Railroad  to  or  from  any  station  on  the  Sixth  or 
Ninth  avenue  lines. 

Family  commutation  and  school  tickets  are  sold  on  the 
Hudson  and  Putnam  divisions  under  the  same  conditions  as 
on  the  Harlem  Division. 

The  Suburban  Elevated  Railway  serves  about  the  same 
territory  as  the  Harlem  Division  of  the  New  York  Central, 
and  carries  passengers  from  Tremont  to  the  Battery  for  five 
cents,  a  limited  number  of  trains  morning  and  evening  making 
a  continuous  trip,  and  all  trains  running  at  a  few  minutes' 
headway.  There  are  also  numerous  express  trains.  Running 
time  from  City  Hall  to  Tremont,  express  trains  forty-seven 
minutes,  regular  trains  fifty-two  minutes. 

The  Union  Railway  Company  operates  eight  lines  of  sur- 
face cars  on  the  trolley  system.  Starting  at  One-hundred-and- 
twenty-ninth  Street  and  Third  Avenue,  it  has  branches  run- 
ning northeast,  north,  and  northwest,  and  by  a  liberal  system 
of  transfers,  passengers  can  reach  almost  any  section  of  the 
North  Side  for  a  single  fare  of  five  cents  from  One-hundred- 


The  Great  North  Side. 


85 


and-twenty-ninth  Street  and  Third  Avenue  on  the  East  Side, 
or  One-hundred-and-thirty-fifth  Street  and  Eighth  Avenue  on 
the  West  Side. 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  if  transit  facilities  and  ad- 
vantages of  inter-coinmunication  constitute  a  potent  factor,  if 
not  the  most  potent  factor,  in  urban  growth,  then  every 
citizen  of  the  North  Side  must  naturally  take  the  most  optimis- 
tic view  of  the  rapid  growth  of  his  favorite  locality,  and  ere 
long  receive  the  reward  of  his  enterprise. 


FSTEY  PIANO  FACTORY.  SO  BOULEVARD  -  LINCOLN  AVE 
SCHIEFFELIN& COS  DRUG  Ml LLS ,S° &V'D&>  S^/tAltfb /H/£ 


86 


A  MANUFACTURING  CENTRE. 


It  is  universally  conceded  that  the  City  of  New  York, 
when  its  growth  in  population  and  its  unprecedented  devel- 
opment are  considered,  is  one  of  the  most  striking  evolutions 
of  history.  In  all  the  retrospect  of  the  past,  search  as  we 
may  every  point  within  our  scope,  no  instance  presented  to 
us  is  quite  comparable  to  it.  All  great  cities  of  the  world 
have  been  the  outcome  of  centuries  of  gradual  development. 

Even  London  and  Paris — rated  as  the  two  largest  cities — 
grew  as  a  man  grows  to  maturity,  strengthening  in  fibre  and 
bone,  and  nerve  and  brawn,  year  by  year,  each  successive 
period  during  which  they  were  passing  from  infancy  to  full 
growth  involving  a  century  of  time. 

History  seemed  to  have  especially  reserved  for  this  conti- 
nent the  glory  of  presenting  the  marvel  of  a  great  city  as  one 

87 


88 


The  Great  North  Side. 


89 


of  the  commercial  wonders  of  the  world,  developing  into  a 
robust,  ever  restless  and  broad-minded  activity  in  less  than 
twenty  decades  and  winning  from  all  the  great  municipal 
commonwealths  of  the  Old  World  the  acknowledgment  that 
it  was  entitled  to  rank  with  them  as  a  commercial  emporium 
of  importance  and  second  to  none.  Yet  it  is  as  a  manufac- 
turer that  one  of  the  chief  glories  of  this  great  city  is  to  be 
achieved.  Even  to-day  it  acknowledges  no  superior  as  a  pro- 
ducer, both  as  to  extent  and  quality,  of  general  products  of 
every  variety  of  manufacture,  while  in  the  production  of  a 
goodly  number  of  useful  and  universally  desired  specialties  it 
enjoys  a  generally  conceded  monopoly  ;  and  there  is  no  rea- 
son why,  before  the  lapse  of  many  years,  it  should  not  become 
the  "hub  "  of  the  world's  manufacturing  interests. 

Topographically  speaking  it  has  all  the  territory  necessary 
to  such  a  grand  development,  and  a  vast  proportion  of  that 
area  is  compassed  within  the  boundary  of  what  lias  come  to 
be  known  as  the  North  Side,  with  its  seven  and  one  half  miles 
of  frontage  on  the  Hudson,  its  six  miles  on  the  Harlem  River, 
its  caster.,  shore  extending  fifteen  miles  from  Port  Morris  to 
Pelham  Bay  and  City  Island,  and  the  Bronx  River  which, 
with  the  march  of  improvement,  is  destined  soon  to  be  made 
navigable  to  a  considerable  distance  ;  while  all  along  the  line 
of  its  northern  boundary  extending  westward  from  upper 
Pelham  Bay  to  Spuyten  Duyvil  it  is  adapted,  by  its  natural 
and  accpiired  facilities,  to  the  establishment  of  manufacturing 
enterprises  of  every  variety.  When  the  fact  is  taken  into 
consideration  that  the  area  of  the  North  Side  is  double  that 
of  Manhattan  Island,  the  vast  measurement  of  the  territory 
occupied  by  it  can  be  comprehended. 

There  is  no  advantage  necessary  for  the  successful  opera- 
tion of  manufacturing  industries  that  is  not  to  be  found  on 
the  North  Side  ;  indeed  there  is  no  facility  lacking  for  the 
promotion  of  such  operation  in  any  important  respect.  Mainly 
among  the  advantages  and  facilities  is  the  well-established 


oo 


The  Great  North  Side. 


91 


convenience  for  the  receipt  of  goods  to-  be  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  articles  of  merchandise,  and  for  their  transporta- 
tion to  consignees  by  rail  or  water.  Surrounded  as  it  is  by  a 
water  boundary — with  the  exception  of  its  northern  line — the 
North  Side  certainly  presents  a  rare  topographical  condition 
and  advantageous  location  excelled  by  no  other  locality  in  the 
world.  Of  the  railroad  facilities  it  can  be  truly  said  that  no 
better  can  be  found  anywhere,  with  the  New  York  Central 
and  Hudson  River  Railroad  on  the  south  and  west,  the  New 
York,  New  Haven,  and  Hartford  Road  on  the  east,  the  New 
York  and  Harlem,  and  the  New  York  and  Putnam  between 
the  two  great  lines,  the  Harlem  River  and  Portchester  Rail- 
road on  the  east  doing  suburban  service  for  the  New  York, 
New  Haven,  and  Hartford.  These  railway  thoroughfares  are 
acknowledged  to  be  the  best  equipped  and  the  best  managed 
of  any  in  the  country,  and  being  such  they  are  enabled  at  all 
times  to  render  the  best  and  most  satisfactory  service  desired. 
Goods  can  be  shipped  by  them  to  any  part  of  the  United 
States  without  being  subjected  to  the  dilatory  and  often 
annoying  disadvantages  of  transferring  freight.  And  these 
same  excellent  facilities  of  water  and  rail  can  be  used  in 
bringing  in  coal  at  a  very  low  cost  to  the  manufacturers  lo- 
cated on  the  North  Side,  so  that  the  cost  of  power  is  less  here 
than  at  any  other  place  not  so  favorably  situated. 

Another  valuable  advantage  will  be  the  Harlem  Ship 
Canal  through  which,  when  completed,  many  of  the  raw 
products  of  the  country  will  be  brought  nearer  to  the  North 
Side,  and,  as  saving  of  time  and  distance  are  important  factors 
in  all  manufacturing  enterprises,  the  efficacy  of  this  long- 
needed  improvement  will  be  at  once  recognized. 

Taking  into  consideration  the  fact  that  the  population  of 
the  North  Side  is  only  about  one  twelfth  that  of  the  city 
proper,  it  is  surely  a  subject  of  deepest  congratulation  when 
we  survey  the  different  fields  of  manufacturing  which  are 
now  in  a  state  of  prosperous  cultivation  on  the  upper  side  of 


The  Great  North  Side. 


93 


the  Harlem.  From  these  mills  of  industry  come  a  great 
variety  of  commodities,  such  as  iron  work  of  every  description, 
including  stoves,  ranges,  and  furnaces ;  refrigerating  and  ice- 
making  machinery,  church  organs,  pianos,  refrigerators,  artis- 
tic bronze  goods,  electric  supplies,  surgical  instruments,  beaten 
gold,  china  and  enameled  ware,  naphtha  launches,  railway 
lamps,  paper  boxes  of  every  design  both  as  to  utility  and 
beauty,  window-shades,  toys,  segars,  brushes,  carpets,  dyeing 
and  printing  work,  mineral  waters,  tape,  soap,  silks,  shirts, 
drums,  varnish,  and  other  products  of  necessity  and  practical 
usefulness.  And  these  industries,  as  great  as  they  are  in  ex- 
tent and  variety,  are  only  an  item  compared  with  the  possi- 
bilities that  the  near  future  presents  to  the  mind  of  every 
observer  who  has  applied  his  eye  and  his  thought  to  a  thor- 
ough examination  of  the  situation. 

Among  the  possibilities,  even  among  the  probabilities  of 
the  future,  is  a  renewal  of  the  ship-building  interests  of  this 
country,  and  there  is  no  locality  in  the  world  better  adapted 
by  nature  for  that  work  than  the  Sound  frontage  of  the  North 
Side.  The  harbor  of  Port  Morris  and  East  Harbor  offer  every 
desirable  advantage  for  carrying  on  ship-producing  enterprises 
that  is  to  be  found  in  any  of  the  great  ship-yards  of  the 
world,  both  for  construction  and  launching,  and  there  is  no 
reason  why  they  should  not  establish  themselves  in  this  local- 
ity before  the  lapse  of  many  years  with  an  extensiveness  of 
activity  equal  to,  if  not  surpassing,  that  of  the  Clyde,  or  of 
Chester  on  the  Delaware.  Here  there  are  no  bridge  obstruc- 
tions and  all  the  depth  and  expanse  of  water  necessary  to  the 
untrammeled  prosecution  of  such  enterprises  are  afforded. 

Indeed,  it  can  be  said  in  brief,  that  this  North  Side  pos- 
sesses every  natural  characteristic  for  an  evolution  which 
would  make  it  the  model  and  most  extensive  manufacturing 
centre  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  New  York  City  is  the  recog- 
nized market  of  the  Western  hemisphere.  It  is  to  it  that 
European  merchants  and  consumers  turn  their  eyes  when  they 


94 


The  Great  North  Side. 


95 


are  desirous  of  making  purchases  of  the  commercial  products 
of  this  country,  for  it  is  the  great  shipping  emporium  of  the 
continent  to  which  manufacturers  in  any  section  of  the  land 
send  their  goods  for  transportation  across  the  sea.  Hence  it 
is  that  manufacturers  in  distant  localities  are  anxious  to  find 
places  for  their  establishment  either  within  the  old  city  or  at 
points  so  contiguous  thereto  that  they  may  always  be  within 
ready  reach  of  the  market  whence  their  products  are  dispensed 
to  the  purchaser. 

Among  other  things  to  be  considered  in  connection  with 
this  subject  is  the  labor  interest.  Workingmen  of  every  grade, 
whether  skilled  or  otherwise,  prefer  to  live  near  the  places 
where  they  render  their  services  ;  moreover  the  question  of 
cheap  but  comfortable  living  is  to  them  always  a  most  serious 
one.  And  nowhere  can  the  working-man  find  more  advan- 
tages  calculated  to  gratify  his  wishes  in  this  respect  than  here 
on  the  North  Side.  The  increase  in  the  number  of  factories 
will  logically  be  followed  by  increased  accommodations  for 
the  employed,  who  will  also  find  here  for  their  children 
schools  second  to  none  in  the  city.  The  water  supply  for 
residences,  the  street  lighting  and  street  cleaning  facilities  are 
unsurpassed  even  by  Murray  Hill. 

As  for  special  "  breathing  spots  "  there  is  no  territory  of 
equal  extent  within  the  corporate  limits  of  any  city  of  the 
world  which  contains  so  many  parks  as  our  own  North  Side. 
In  these  beautiful  sylvan  retreats,  delightfully  situated  and 
attractive  in  their  natural  picturesqueness,  children  of  the  rich 
and  poor  alike  find  pleasure  grounds  that  are  as  extensive  in 
area,  and  as  charming  in  all  their  ancient  loveliness  of  dale, 
knoll,  and  woodland  as  they  are  in  all  their  acquired  attract- 
iveness and  conveniences.  And  all  of  these  are  easily  accessi- 
ble by  means  of  the  elevated  roads  and  the  trolley  electric 
lines  of  the  Union  Railway,  and  indeed  every  section  of  the 
North  Side  is — a  fact  which  has  probably  contributed  more 
to  the  building  up,  and  steadily  increasing  prosperity  of  the 


Ob 


The  Great  North  Side. 


97 


section  than  any  other  factor.  These  means  of  communica- 
tion extend  in  some  instances  beyond  the  city  limits  and 
stretch  across  the  territory  from  east  to  west,  giving  to  the 
population  the  most  desirable  facilities  of  transit  with  quick- 
ness of  speed  and  at  moderate  fares. 

Amono-  the  inducements  that  are  bringing;  manufacturers 
to  the  North  Side  is  the  consideration  given  by  many  of  them 
to  the  fact  that  dealers  throughout  the  country  find  it  to  their 
advantage  to  come  to  New  York  to  make  their  purchases  of 
stock.  A  large  proportion  of  these  have  an  eye  to  cheapness 
in  making  their  bargains,  whether  the  fabric  they  buy  be  of 
the  costliest  manufacture  or  of  the  commonest  make.  Here 
they  can  inspect  the  goods  before  they  have  left  the  places  of 
their  manufacture,  and  have  the  advantages  of  obtaining  them 
at  first  cost.  And  when  we  know  that  thousands  of  these 
purchasers  make  regular  pilgrimages  to  New  York  for  the 
purpose  of  buying  goods  for  delivery  to  consumers,  it  surely 
will  be  most  advantageous  to  them  in  every  business  way, 
financial  as  well  as  otherwise,  to  deal  directly  with  the  manu- 
facturer, and  save  all  the  extra  cost  which  attaches  to  dealing 
with  the  middle  man.  And  this  is  one  reason  why  men  who 
look  ahead  predict  for  the  North  Side  a  great  future  as  a 
manufacturing  centre,  the  dawn  of  which  seems  to  be  almost 
at.  hand. 

And  if  the  existing  order  of  things  in  the  manufacturing 
life  of  this  city,  and  the  forecast  which  it  is  not  difficult  to 
make  of  what  the  future  is  to  be,  may  be  taken  as  a  prognos- 
tication of  events  that  are  fast  reaching  the  epoch  of  their 
birth,  their  significance  lies  in  the  fact  that  they  point  to  a 
time  when  the  extent  of  the  manufacturing  interests  and  de- 
velopments of  the  North  Side  will  be  so  great  and  universal 
in  its  influence  that  it  will  be  felt  by  every  mart  of  the  world 
however  distant  it  may  be. 

Already,  though  young  in  years  compared  with  the  great 
nations  of  the  earth,  this  country  has  contributed  much  to  the 


98 


The  Great  North  Side. 


99 


benefit  of  the  whole  world.  It  perfected  steam  propulsion,  it 
evolved  the  telegraph,  the  railroad,  the  telephone,  the  sewing 
machine,  mowing  and  reaping  machines,  and  agricultural  im- 
plements, the  type-setting  machine,  and  the  two-wheeled 
horse  upon  which  circuits  of  the  globe  have  been  made. 
These  are  but  a  few  of  the  many  achievments  of  invention 
that  could  be  mentioned.  And  it  is  here  on  the  North  Side 
that  a  great  manufacturing  community  is  to  be  evolved  which 
will  greatly,  and  for  all  time  redound,  to  the  credit,  perpetual 
development,  and  lasting  prosperity  of  what  is  bound  to  be- 
come the  best  and  greatest  city  among  all  the  great  cities  of 
the  world. 

ADDENDUM. 

Manufacturers  looking  for  factory  sites,  with  convenient 
facilities  for  transportation  by  water  and  rail,  will  find  it  to 
their  advantage  to  consider  the  opportunities  afforded  by 
the  North  Side,  or  Borough  of  the  Bronx. 

Its  railway  facilities  are  afforded,  as  follows  : 

By  the  New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  Railway  Co. 

The  following,  is  a  list  of  railroads  and  lines  over  which 
it  receives  and  forwards  freight  at  through  rates  : 

All  points  on  the  New  Haven  and  Old  Colony  systems 
of  its  own  road,  Fitchburg,  B.  <fe  M.,  B.  <fo  A.,  and  Central 
Vermont  Railroads  ;  east  and  west  over  the  Pennsylvania  R.R. 
and  lines  operating  over  same  as  follows  :  Union  Line,  Anchor 
Line,  Great  Southern  Despatch,  Seaboard  Despatch,  Atlantic 
Coast  Despatch,  Richmond  &  Danville  Despatch,  C.  &  O. ; 
P.  &  R.,  and  lines  operating  over  same  as  follows :  Central 
States  Despatch,  C.  R.  R.  of  N.  J.,  Western  Maryland  R.R.  ; 
Lehigh  Valley,  and  lines  operating  over  same  as  follows : 
Traders  Despatch,  Lake  Shore,  Lehigh  &  Wabash  Despatch, 
Lehigh  Valley  Despatch,  N.  Y.  &,  Greenwood  Lake  ;  Erie 
R.R.,  and  lines  operating  over  same  as  follows :  Commercial 


Gas  Tanfe  :  Central -Union 
Fbnr AJ orris 


100 


The  Great  North  Side. 


101 


Express,  Erie  Despatch,  Interstate  Despatch ;  West  Shore 
R.R.  and  lines  operating  over  same  as  follows  :  West  Shore 
Line,  Nickel  Plate  Line,  Canada  Southern  Line,  Housac 
Tunnel  Line. 

The  advantages  of  this  will  be  apparent  as  there  will  be 
no  delay  in  making  shipments. 

In  regard  to  the  eastern  trade,  manufacturers  are  on  the 
level  with  lower  New  York  City  firms,  and  this  also  holds 
good  for  all  business  destined  beyond  Pittsburg. 

In  regard  to  New  York  State  business,  as  well  as  Pennsyl- 
vania and  the  South,  the  rates  are  nearly  the  same  as  from 
the  lower  end  of  the  city. 

This  load  also  receives,  and  handles  business  to  and  from 
Long  Island  R.  R.,  and  to  and  from  the  N.  Y.  C.  &  H.  R.  R. 

This  is  one  of  the  largest  grain  distributing  centres  in  the 
country,  it  being  the  gateway  into  New  England,  for  the 
handling  of  the  products  from  the  western  lines,  so  that  grain 
and  hay  may  be  bought  on  track. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  kindling-wood  supply  for  the 
city  is  received  and  delivered  here. 

It  also  handles  an  extensive  milk  business  from  Berk- 
shire Hills  for  New  York  City  and  Brooklyn,  which  is  de- 
livered to  dealers  at  this  station  about  11  p.m.  every  day  in 
the  year. 

By  the  N.  Y.  Central  <fc  Hudson  River  Railroad.  This 
road  has  extensive  freight  yards  at  Melrose,  and  is  the  great 
route  from  the  east  to  the  west,  including  the  Boston  & 
Albany  ;  Rome,  Watertown,  &  Ogdensburg  ;  Michigan  Central, 
Lake  Shore,  &  Michigan  Southern ;  Cleveland,  Cincinnati, 
Chicago  &  St.  Louis,  and  connecting  lines,  and  embracing 
the  following  fast  freight  lines:  Red  Line,  White  Line, 
Blue  Line,  Midland  Line,  Canada  Southern  Line,  Milwau- 
kee &  Michigan  Line,  and  Merchant's  Despatch  Transporta- 
tion Company,  affording  facilities  for  handling,  storing,  or 
transferring  all  classes  of  freight  intended  for  domestic  points, 


GAS  TANK,  WEST  FARMS. 
K.  C.  Hkktk,  l'hotu. 


GAS  CO'S  OFFICE,  WEST  FARMS. 

From  Photo,  by  F.  C.  Berte,  Tremont. 
1 02 


The  Great  North  Side. 


103 


or  for  export,  having  traffic  arrangements  with  96  railroads 
throughout  the  U.  S.  and  Canada  through  immediate  connec- 
tions, and  makes  freight  car  interchange  direct,  and  by  float 
with  38  railroads  at  the  Melrose  Junction,  159th  St.  &  Morris 
Av.,  designated  as  the  East  Side  terminal  freight  station  of 
the  Harlem  Division,  and  junction  point  with  main  line  of  the 
N.  Y.  C.  &  H.  R.  R.  R.  There  is  a  lar^e  freight  house  and 
yard  here  for  receiving  and  forwarding  freight  in  any  quan- 
tity. Tracks  are  easy  of  access  and  well  arranged  for  imme- 
diate delivery  of  carload  freights.  A  large  building  used  as  a 
"Produce  Market"  is  located  at  this  point  for  the  sale  of 
country  produce  coming  from  the  Harlem  Division. 

At  Port  Morris  is  the  Tidewater  Terminal  on  the  East 
River.  There  is  no  freight  house  at  this  point,  it  being  used 
for  carload  freights  only.  Tracks  are  well  arranged  so  that 
freight  can  be  discharged  directly  from  vessels  upon  cars. 
Also  track  connection  with  the  N.  Y.,  N.  H.,  &  H.  R.  R.  for 
the  interchange  of  freight  in  carloads,  this  point  being  called 
Port  Morris  junction.  Private  sidings  here  for  dressed  beef, 
ice,  brewers  grain,  grain  and  hay. 

At  High  Bridge  connection  between  Hudson  and  Putnam 
Divisions  is  made. 

The  facilities  for  shipping  freight  from  the  North  Side, 
over  this  road  are  very  good,  and  the  management  is  alive 
to  the  importance  of  the  traffic  from  this  section  and  will 
provide  additional  facilities  for  handling  it  as  fast  as  the 
necessities  of  the  case  demand.  Regular  New  York  rates  apply 
from  Melrose  Junction  to  western  points,  also  from  High 
Bridge,  Morris  Heights,  and  Port  Morris  ;  and  rates  from  these 
points  to  Philadelphia  and  points  in  Eastern  Penn.,  are  but  a 
slight  advance  over  rates  charged  by  roads  ending  at  Jersey 
City  over  their  regular  N.  Y.  rates. 

Excellent  transportation  facilities  by  water  are  provided 
by  the  Harlem  &  Morrisania  Steamboat  Line,  from  its  dock 
at  Harlem  Bridge.    This  line  has  traffic  arrangements  with 


The  Great  North  Side.  105 

the  Baltimore  <fe  Ohio,  Erie,  and  Pennsylvania  Railroads, 
and  with  coastwise  steamship  lines  from  Maine  to  the  Gulf. 
Landings  are  made  at  the  different  railroad  docks  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  city,  and  shipments  can  be  made  from  Harlem 
River  at  about  the  same  rates  as  down  town. 


Huff  en's:  Melrose /)</c  & 


A  HOME  CENTRE. 


It  is  one  of  the  unfortunate  characteristics  of  Manhattan 
Island  that  the  privacy  of  home  life  is  unknown  to  more  than 
half  of  its  people.  Its  inhabitants  are  crowded  together  with 
a  density  unequalled  by  any  other  city  in  the  world.  This  is 
perhaps  mainly  due  to  its  conformation.  A  narrow  island 
but  two  miles  wide  and  thirteen  miles  long,  with  the  business 
interests  mainly  concentrated  in  its  extreme  lower  end,  prop- 
erty within  accessible  distance  of  business  rapidly  became  too 
valuable  for  single  dwellings  which  could  be  rented  at  a  mod- 
erate figure.  Returns  adequate  to  the  values  which  owners 
placed  on  their  lands  could  only  be  obtained  by  building 
houses  many  stories  high  which  could  be  occupied  by  a  num- 
ber of  families  ;  and  the  avarice  of  the  land  owner  led  to  the 

107 


The  Great  North  Side. 


109 


building  of  as  many  buildings  as  possible  upon  each  city 
block. 

As  a  consequence  of  this  over-crowding,  families  desiring 
privacy  in  homes  with  no  other  occupants  were  forced  across 
the  waters  surrounding  the  lower  end  of  our  island  to  land 
where  there  was  ample  room  to  spread  out.  Hence  Long 
Island  and  New  Jersey  have  become  the  homes  of  a  very 
large  and  most  desirable  population  which  earns  its  living  on 
Manhattan  Island. 

If  attempts  which  have  been  made  from  time  to  time  to 
solve  this  serious  problem  of  over-crowding  have  not  devel- 
oped a  way  out  of  the  difficulty,  they  have  at  least  revealed 
the  alarming  extent  to  which  this  over-crowding  exists,  and 
some  of  the  worst  blocks  are  being  torn  down  and  converted 
into  public  parks. 

The  Tenement  House  Committee  of  1894  appointed  by 
the  Legislature  to  investigate  the  subject  reports  that  "  a  block 
was  discovered  in  which  93  per  cent,  of  the  total  area  is  cov- 
ered by  buildings;  others  running  from  80  per  cent,  to  86 
per  cent,  and  a  total  average  for  34  blocks  showing  78.13  of 
the  area  built  upon."  The  lower  end  of  New  York  island 
contains  more  inhabitants  to  the  acre  than  any  other  city  in 
the  world — 143.2  persons.  Paris  comes  next  with  125.2  per 
acre,  followed  by  Berlin  with  113.6.  A  district  in  the  Elev- 
enth Ward,  bounded  by  Second,  Columbia,  Rivington,  and 
Clinton  streets  and  Avenue  B,  contains  986.4  persons  to  each 
of  its  thirty-two  acres.  The  nearest  known  approach  to  this 
is  a  district  in  Bombay  which,  in  1881,  had  a  population  of 
759.66  to  the  acre.  The  Tenth  Ward  contains  an  average  of 
57.2  persons  to  each  house.  Such  instances  of  over-crowding 
are  cited  as  a  family  of  eleven  persons  living  in  two  rooms. 

In  such  a  condition  of  affairs  the  privacy  of  home  life  is 
an  utter  impossibility,  and  the  result  is  detrimental  to  the 
moral  and  material  welfare  of  the  city.  The  extent  to  which 
the  morality,  integrity,  and  civic  virtue  of  a  city  are  depend- 


no 


The  Great  North  Side.  Ill 

ent  on  the  character  of  the  home  life  of  its  citizens  cannot  be 
overestimated.    A  city  missionary  says  : 

"  I  knew  a  family  in  Church  Street  whose  immoral  condi- 
tion was  traced  directly  to  being  forced  to  herd  like  cattle. 
The  father  was  an  educated  man  of  fifty-eight  years ;  the 
mother  was  fifty,  the  son  thirty-one,  and  the  daughter  twenty. 
For  this  family  there  was  one  three-quarter  sized  bed.  The 
moral  sense  of  the  young  man  and  woman  had  become  so 
blunted  that  they  seemed  utterly  devoid  of  shame." 

Says  another  writer  : 

4<  In  over-crowding  the  children  are  never  counted.  You 
will  find  them  sleeping  five  or  six  in  one  bed,  and  that  bed  is 
often  a  closet  with  a  few  boards  nailed  across  the  front,  and 
filled  with  rags,  these  rags  swarming  very  likely  with  fever 
germs,  but  rarely  without  more  immediately  troublesome,  if 
less  fatal  occupants." 

The  following  statistics  furnished  by  Mr.  Carroll  D. 
Wright,  Commissioner  of  Labor  in  charge  of  the  Ceusus  Office  * 
at  Washington,  illustrate  the  over-crowding  of  New  York's 
habitations  as  compared  with  the  other  large  cities  of  the 
United  States,  the  statistics  of  course  referring  to  old  New 
York  as  distinguished  from  Greater  New  York  : 


AVERAGE  NUMBER  OF  PERSONS  TO  A  DWELLING. 


1890. 

1880. 

New  York  

18.52 

16.37 

8.60 

8.24 

5.60 

5.79 

Brooklyn  

9.80 

9.11 

St.  Louis  

7.41 

8.15 

Boston  

8.52 

8.26 

6.02 

6.54 

San  Francisco   . 

6.34 

6.86 

Average  number  of  families  to  a  dwelling  : 

New  York  3.82,  Chicago  1.72,  Philadelphia  1.10,  Brooklyn 

2.08,  St.  Louis  1.51,  Boston  1.70,  Baltimore  1.20,  San  Fran- 

cisco,  1.11. 


112 


The  Great  North  Side. 


113 


In  New  York  66.70$  of  its  total  population  live  in  dwell- 
ings containing  more  than  20  persons  each  ;  in  Chicago  16.63 ; 
in  Philadelphia  3.41;  Brooklyn  25.70;  Baltimore  2.55.  It 
will  be  observed  that  2/3  of  New  York's  population  live  in 
crowded  houses,  while  but  1/28  of  Philadelphia's  population 
do — an  amazing  difference  ! 

In  striking  contrast  with  the  statistics  for  the  entire  City 
of  New  York,  are  the  figures  for  the  23d  and  24th  Wards, 
which  comprise  the  district  known  as  the  North  Side  or  Bor- 
ough of  the  Bronx.  While  the  average  number  of  families  to 
a  dwelling  in  the  entire  city  is  3.82,  for  the  23d  Ward  it  is 
1.84,  and  for  the  24th  Ward  1.14  which  latter  is  as  favorable 
a  showing  as  that  of  such  distinctively  "home"  cities  as 
Philadelphia  or  Baltimore.  Also,  while  the  number  of  dwell- 
ings occupied  by  but  one  family  is  45. 9bfc  of  the  whole  num- 
ber for  the  city  at  large,  for  the  23d  Ward  it  is  60.86,  and  for 
the  24th  Ward,  90.04.  These  figures  do  not  include  the  re- 
cently added  territory  east  of  the  Bronx,  which  was  not  a 
part  of  the  city  when  the  last  census  was  taken,  and  which 
would  bring  the  average  still  lower.  The  24th  Ward  is  the 
banner  "  home"  ward  of  the  city  of  New  York,  the  majority 
of  its  houses  being  occupied  by  but  one  family  each. 

The  conditions  which  caused  over-crowding  on  Manhattan 
Island  do  not  exist  on  the  North  Side.  It  contains  about  two- 
thirds  of  the  combined  area  of  both,  is  broader  and  less  closely 
confiued  by  water,  and  has  unlimited  room  to  expand  north- 
ward into  Westchester  County  whenever  the  growth  of  the 
city  demands  it.  Hence,  while  the  state  of  affairs  below  the 
Harlem  was  perhaps  the  natural  outgrowth  of  the  necessities 
of  restricted  area,  it  is  absolutely  unjustifiable  and  positively 
wrong  to  thus  crowd  the  habitations  of  human  beings  where 
there  is  so  much  room  to  spread  out,  and  the  price  of  land  is 
still  low. 

For  those  property  owners  of  the  North  Side  whose  greed 
of  gain  has  caused  them  to  attempt  a  repetition  of  this  unde- 


ir4 


The  Great  North  Side. 


115 


sirable  feature  of  lower  New  York,  the  arm  of  the  law  should 
be  used  in  restrictive  legislation. 

Another  feature  favorable  to  the  development  of  a  home 
centre  is  the  provision  of  the  building  laws  which  permits 
the  erection  of  frame  buildings  in  the  major  portion  of  the 
North  Side.  The  man  of  moderate  means  can  here  provide 
a  home  for  himself  at  much  less  cost  than  would  be  possible 
in  the  brick  district.  Every  city  has  its  successive  stages  of 
development,  and  the  first  of  these  is  the  frame  building  era. 
This  brings  the  pioneers,  whose  energy  and  thrift  make  pos- 
sible the  more  substantial  development  which  follows.  When 
the  growth  of  the  North  Side  warrants  it,  brick  buildings 
will  take  the  place  of  frame,  and  the  fire  limits  will  be  ex- 
tended, as  has  been  the  case  in  lower  New  York. 

A  third  feature  of  the  North  Side  which  ouofht  to  have  its 
effect  in  the  development  of  a  home  section  is  its  street  sys- 
tem. When,  at  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  the 
Commissioners  who  were  appointed  to  do  for  Manhattan 
Island  what  the  Commissioner  of  Street  Improvements  must 
do  for  the  North  Side — plan  its  street  system — made  their 
report,  they  stated,  that  howTever  much  stars,  circles,  crescents, 
and  the  like  might  embellish  a  plan,  square-sided  houses 
wTere  the  cheapest  to  build,  and  the  most  convenient  to  live 
in,  hence  the  street  system  should  consist  of  rectangular 
blocks.  So  they  laid  down  a  T-square  and  triangle,  and  drew 
parallelograms  across  the  island  about  150  times,  and  then 
stopped,  startled  at  their  own  audacity  in  planning  streets  so 
far  north  into  the  wilderness.  The  result  we  have  in  the 
gridiron  system  of  monotonous  streets  which  has  little  to 
recommend  it  except  perhaps  convenience  to  strangers  within 
our  gates.  Thus  it  was  that  Manhattan  Island  was  laid  out  on 
the  parallelogram  plan  with  narrow  and  deep  lots,  as  a  conse- 
quence of  which  buildings  of  any  depth  must,  of  necessity, 
have  dark  and  ill-ventilated  interior  rooms  :  the  depth  of  the 
lot  which  forms  the  unit  of  measurement  being  four  times  its 


The  Great  North  Side. 


117 


width.  This  same  plan  has  been  carried  out  to  some  extent 
on  the  North  Side.  Fortunately,  however,  a  large  portion  of 
the  North  Side  is  topographically  incapable  of  being  laid  out 
on  the  "  gridiron  "  plan,  its  hills  and  valleys  rendering  this 
impracticable,  because  either  the  grades  would  be  too  steep, 
or  else  the  hills  would  have  to  be  cut  down  and  the  valleys 
filled  in  so  much  as  to  render  the  adjacent  property  valueless 
for  building  purposes.  Where  this  is  the  case  picturesque, 
winding  roads  have  been  laid  out,  which  are  very  apt  to  be 
lined  with  attractive  cottages,  the  lots  being  irregular  in  shape, 
and  ill-adapted  to  tenement-house  building.  This  is  espec- 
ially the  case  along  the  western  and  northwestern  hills  of  the 
Noi'th  Side. 

There  are  many  attractive  residence  streets  and  avenues 
on  the  North  Side,  only  a  few  of  which  can  be  here  alluded 
to.  Mott  Avenue,  a  very  pretty  thoroughfare  lined  with  fine 
old  trees  which  arch  over  the  roadway,  starts  in  the  business 
section  of  Mott  Haven,  just  below  the  138th  street  station, 
and  extends  northward  along  the  westerly  ridge  known  as 
Buena  Ridge  to  165th  street.  Mott  Avenue  will  form  the  en- 
trance  to,  and  part  of  the  Grand  Concourse  which  is  to  be  the 
finest  boulevard  in  the  country.  Walton  Avenue,  on  this 
I'idge,  is  also  a  residence  thoroughfare.  Washington  Avenue, 
in  the  central  valley,  is  another  tree-lined  avenue  similar  to 
Mott  Avenue.  Franklin,  Boston  and  Prospect  avenues,  on 
high  ground  in  the  eastern  section,  contain  some  very  hand- 
some residences,  and  there  are  many  attractive  homes  on  upper 
Morris  Avenue.  Sedgwick  and  Ogden  avenues,  on  the  upper 
westerly  ridge,  and  Riverdale  Avenue  in  the  north  west,  are 
bordered  with  handsome  residences  and  the  beautifully  kept 
estates  of  some  of  New  York's  wealthiest  and  most  prominent 
citizens.  For  those  who  admire  picturesque  scenery  and  like 
to  live  on  high  ground  there  is  perhaps  no  North  Side  thor- 
oughfare which  affords  so  many  admirable  sites  for  homes  as 
Sedgwick  Avenue.    Starting  at  McComb's  Dam  bridge  it  fol- 


The  Great  North  Side. 


119 


lows  the  east  bank  of  the  Harlem  by  graceful  curves  adapted 
to  the  contour  of  the  land,  passing  under  the  arches  of  High 
and  Washington  bridges  and  by  the  grounds  of  Berkeley 
Oval,  the  New  York  University,  and  the  Webb  Academy, 
extending  as  far  northward  as  Van  Cortlandt  Park.  Many 
charming  views  of  the  Harlem  and  Hudson  may  be  had  while 
driving  along  this  avenue.  It  has  been  called  the  "  Riverside 
Drive  "  of  the.  North  Side. 

For  the  many  thousands  of  fairly  prosperous  who  by  in- 
dustry and  economy  are  enabled  to  save  something  out  of 
their  earnings  there  is  no  more  inviting  section  than  the  North 
Side.  Here  opportunities  are  offered  them  of  securing  homes 
of  their  own  at  a  moderate  outlay,  and  at  the  same  time  with- 
out forfeiture  of  citizenship  in  the  Metropolis,  with  all  that 
that  implies.  The  many  excellent  building  and  loan  associa- 
tions of  this  section  of  the  city  provide  means  whereby  those 
who  are  now  paying  rent,  for  which  they  will  have  nothing  to 
show,  say  ten  years  hence,  may  secure  homes  of  their  own  by 
paying  but  little  more  monthly  than  they  now  pay  out  for 
rent.  And,  perhaps,  next  to  life  insurance,  there  is  no  better 
provision  that  a  man  can  make  for  those  dependent  on  him 
than  the  securing  of  a  home  for  them  :  a  house  which  they 
can  call  their  own.  It  ought  to  be  the  ambition — indeed,  it 
is  the  duty — of  every  head  of  a  family  capable  of  earning 
more  than  the  mere  means  of  support,  to  labor  and  save  to 
the  end  that  those  who  look  to  him  for  support  may  be  thus 
provided  for. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  find,  within  many  miles  radius  of 
New  York,  more  delightfully  picturesque  scenery  than  is  to 
be  found  on  the  North  Side,  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the 
Great  Metropolis.  Its  hills  and  valleys,  affording  entrancing 
views  of  the  majestic  Hudson  with  its  world-famed  back- 
ground, the  Palisades  ;  the  sinuous  and  placid  Harlem  hedged 
in  by  commanding  hills  and  spanned  by  many  bridges  ;  the 
wide  spreading  marine  views  of  the  Sound  with  its  numerous 


120 


The  Great  North  Side. 


121 


islands,  and  the  land  adjacent  to  that  charming  strip  of  rustic 
woodland  which  skirts  the  picturesque  Bronx  from  West 
Farms  to  William's  Bridge  offer  attractive  sites  for  residence 
which  for  beauty  and  healthfulness  it  would  be  hard  to  equal. 

Here  then  is  New  York's  ideal  home  section.  Within  this 
magnificent  territory  upon  which  Nature  has  bestowed  her 
bounties  with  such  liberality  we  may  expect  to  see  developed 
the  residence  quarter  of  the  Metropolis,  dotted  with  the  homes 
of  the  thrifty  and  industrious  of  moderate  means  as  well  as  the 
palatial  mansions  of  the  wealthy ;  a  district  which  shall  be  to 
our  city  what  London's  great  home  section  is  to  the  Metropo- 
lis of  the  world. 


EDUCATIONAL  ADVANTAGES. 


As  regards  the  number  and  character  of  our  educational 
institutions  there  are  few  places  more  highly  favored  than  the 
North  Side.  The  kindergarten  and  university  have  found  a 
congenial  home  :  here  boarding  school,  academy,  and  college 
hold  out  the  strongest  inducements  to  the  youth  of  both 
sexes.  The  healthful ness  of  this  section,  the  charm  of  land- 
scape, the  historic  interest  of  the  territory,  and  the  intelligence 
of  the  people  are  powerful  attractions  to  those  in  search  of  a 
home.  But  there  is  another  attraction  which  the  future  house- 
holder might  study — nay,  the  effete  denizen  of  some  down- 
town ward  might  ponder  over  to  some  purpose — let  both  think 
of  this  :  that  at  no  distant  day  this  whole  region  is  destined  to 
become  the  educational  centre  of  the  Greater  New  York. 

In  the  two  wards  there  are  twenty  grammar  and  twenty- 

122 


ERSTANDO  •  ET-  PR /£  STAN  DO  •  (JUL  I  TAT  I 


~Hall  of  language 


NEW  YORK  UNIVERSITY,  Sedgwick "Ave 


23 


124 


The  Great  North  Side. 


six  primary  schools,  including  departments.  A  new  1 1  i «_r  1 1 
School  has  been  established  and  is  in  successful  operation  at 
Third  Avenue  and  158th  St.  The  principals  of  these  schools 
are  teachers  of  ability  and  of  wide  experience  and  their  effort^ 
are  seconded  by  a  corps  of  zealous  and  eth'cient  subordinates. 
The  kindergarten  system,  physical  culture,  and  manual  1  raining 
are  prominent  features  in  many  schools  and  there  is  likewise 
ample  provision  for  military  drill  in  the  case  of  the  boys 
beloninn"  to  the  advanced  classes.  We  have  one  evening 
school,  No.  C>2,  at  157th  Street  and  Cortlandt  Avenue;  the 
five  hundred  meet  and  for  five  whole  months  devote  them- 
selves with  praiseworthy  ardor  to  the  study  of  the  English 
and  mathematical  branches,  including  book-keeping  and  sten- 
ography. Our  people  have  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  success 
attained  by  this  school.  The  discipline  is  excellent  and 
the  instruction  is  unsurpassed.  Tinier  the  auspices  of  the 
Board  of  Education  six  courses  of  free  lectures,  delivered  in 
(i.  S.  No.  64,  Ford  ham,  (i.  S.  No,  66,  Kingsbridge,  in  the  new 
school  at  Bedford  Park,  at  Wakefield, and  at  Westchester  are 
proving  a  great  attraction  to  the  people  of  the  North  Side. 
The  lecturers  selected  for  the  purpose  have  been  so  far  ex- 
ceedingly successful  in  their  work.  The  halls  are  invariably 
so  crowded  that  hardly  standing  room  is  left  The  Boards  of 
Inspectors  belonging  to  the  two  wards  deserve  more  than  a 
passing  mention.  All  have  done  their  duty  faithfully  and 
well,  and  deserve  a  share  of  credit  for  the  excellent  showing 
made  by  the  pupils  of  the  North  Side  at  the  entrance  examina- 
tions held  each  year  for  admission  to  the  two  colleges,  as  well 
as  for  the  high  character  of  the  schools  in  these  wards. 

SCHOOL  BUILDINGS,  SITES,  ETC. 

School  officers  have  not  been  idle  in  the  matter  of  pro- 
curing new  buildings,  repairing  and  enlarging  old  ones,  and 
more  especially  in  the  purchase  of  the  sites  for  the  use  of  the 
coming  generation  of  scholars.    At  Kingsbridge,  Bedford 


125 


126 


The  ( rreat  North  Side. 


Park,  Morris  Heights,  Mount  Hope,  Tremont,  Fos  Estate, 
(College  Avenue  and  145th  Street,  St.  Ann's  Avenue  and 
148th  Street,  Union  Avenue  and  L49th  St.,  Cypress  Avenue 
and  135th  Street,  Burnside  and  Andrews  Avenues,  etc.,  the 
land  for  school  sites  has  been  already  secured  and  new  build- 
ings completed  or  under  contract.  Those  who  conic  after  us 
will  therefore  have  no  reason  to  complain  that  we  of  this  day 
and  generation  have  been  blind  to  their  interests  in  not 
making  something  like  suitable  provision  for  their  children 
and  their  children's  children. 

Of  tbe  higher  institutions  of  learning  the  24th  Ward  bids 
fair  to  have  something  like  a  monopoly.  First,  there  is  the 
Ursuline  Convent  Academy,  charmingly  situated  near  Bedford 
Park,  with  everything  that  can  bedesired  in  the  shape  of  class 
rooms,  dormitories,  hall,  chapel,  refectory,  and  playgrounds. 
The  convent  school  is  of  recent  date,  hardly  four  years  old, 
but  the  sisters  have  shown  w  hat  it,  is  p<  »ssible  to  do  within  that 
time:  thanks  to  their  skill,  perseverance,  and  unselfishness  they 
have  achieved  a  most  gratifying  if  not  a  marvellous  Buccess. 
Upward  of  two  hundred  students  are  receiving  an  excellent 
education  at  this  popular  institution. 

The  Webb  Home,  a  costly  and  beautiful  structure  situated 
on  Sedgwick  Avenue,  one  of  the  loveliest  spots  in  creation, 
stands  a  monument  to  the  noble  philanthropist  whose  name  it 
bears.  The  art  of  designing  ships,  etc.,  is  surely  one  of  the 
most  useful  of  arts:  it  deals  with  a  great  and  highly  im- 
portant industry,  besides  helping  us  to  take  part  in  the  carry- 
ing  trade  of  the  world.  The  man  who  makes  such  provision 
for  the  students  of  that  art,  who  supplies  them  with  means  to 
pursue  it,  that  man  is  deserving  of  great  praise  and  gratitude. 

St.  Joseph's  Institute  for  the  Care  and  Instruction  of  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb,  situated  near  East  184th  Street,  Ford. ham,  is 
an  institution  created  for  a  truly  noble  and  beneficent  purpose. 
It  receives  state  aid,  of  course,  and  never,  let  me  say,  does  the 
civil  power  appear  to  greater  advantage  than  when  helping 


HU&l~,C  S-CHOOi-j   UNION  AV    N£AK  /^.qTH   ST.   &  FOX  ST. 

HitmhiMhl  fcf,„<t„  i,„.,v».  »„w.i...  »„i„t..u.,.. 


127 


ll>S 


The  Great  North  Side. 


to  lives  of  usefulness  those  unfortunates  who,  through  no 
fault  of  theirs,  are  forever  cut  off  from  the  whole  world  of 
sound.  As  regards  methods  of  instruction  and  the  results  at- 
tained, St.  Joseph's  is  in  every  respect  uj>  to  the  highest 
standard. 

St.  John's  College,  beautifully  situated  in  a  spacious  park 
fronting  on  Pel  ham  Avenue,  Fordham,  is  as  we  reckon  time, 
an  old  and  highly  favored  seat  of  learning.  For  nearly  three 
score  years  the  College  has  been  in  charge  of  the  Fathers  of 
the  Society  <>f  Jesus  and  tin4  fame  acquired  has  been  such  as 
to  attract  students  from  nearly  every  part  of  the  habitable 
globe.  Young  men  from  Canada,  British  Columbia,  the  West 
Indies,  Brazil,  Uruguay,  Chili,  Peru.  Bolivia,  Central  America, 
Mexico,  are  there  in  considerable  numbers,  and  as  for  the 
United  States,  hardly  a  State  is  unrepresented.  There  is  no- 
where a  better  type  of  a  polyglot  college,  for  amongst  its  four 
hundred  students  you  can  hear  all  the  lamruacres  of  the  civil- 
ixed  world. 

The  New  Yoik  University  is  the  latest  addition  to  our 
educational  institutions.  It  is  so  well  known  and  deservedly 
popular  that  but  little  need  be  said  of  this  institution.  AVise 
in  their  day  and  desirous  of  increasing  the  usefulness  of  the 
University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  purchased  a  beautiful  site 
containing  twelve  acres  of  ground  on  Fordham  Heights;  the 
location  is  a  superb  one,  being  on  an  elevation  over  the  banks 
of  the  Harlem  River,  and  overlooking  the  Hudson  with  its 
picturesque  scenery,  the  Palisades  on  the  west,  and  a  magnifi- 
cent view  to  the  Sound  on  the  east.  A  number  of  new  build- 
ings have  been  erected  of  modern  design,  with  all  the  approved 
appliances  in  educational  matters.  Under  the  wise  and  able 
management  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  M.  McCracken,  Chancellor, 
and  a  most  distinguished  corps  of  professors,  in  its  new  and 
splendid  home  the  New  York  University  is  destined  to  ac- 
complish the  work  of  an  ideal  educational  institution. 

The  New  York  Catholic  Protectory  at  Westchester,  re- 


I2y 


130 


The  Great  North  Side. 


cently  annexed  to  New  York  City,  is  one  of  the  best  know  n 
institutions  in  the  country.  Its  special  purpose  and  aim  is  to 
care  for  the  homeless  of  both  sexes  and  it  is  ably  presided  over 
by  that  noble  and  Belf-sacrificing  band,  the  Christian  Brothers. 
Two  thousand  boys  and  one  thousand  girls  here  find  a  comfort- 
able home  and  are  taught  useful  trades.  Tailoring,  shoe-mak- 
ing, printing,  farming,  care  of  horses,  gardening,  are  all  taught 
on  an  extended  scale.  A  regiment  of  cadets,  armed  and 
equipped,  and  a  magnificent  brass  band,  are  connected  with 
this  excellent  institution.  Brother  Eusebius  is  in  charge  of 
the  whole  matter,  and  Sister  Anita,  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity, 
of  the  girls'  department 

The  Sacred  Heart  Academy  for  boys  at  Classon  Point  has 
one  hundred  and  fifty  pupils,  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of 
Charity. 

The  excellent  educational  facilities  of  the  North  Side,  with 
its  grand  system  of  public  parks,  its  healthful  and  invigorat- 
ing climate,  its  kindly  disposed  and  hospitable  people,  and  the 
many  other  substantial  advantages,  must  make  this  section  of 
the  Greater  New  York  the  centre  of  refinement  and  intelli- 
gence, as  well  as  of  a  contented  and  happy  people. 


BRIDGES. 


The  Harlem  River,a  branch  of  the  East  River,  and  Spuy- 
ten  Duyvil  Creek,  a  branch  of  the  Hudson  River,  make  a 
continuous  w  aterw  ay  about  six  miles  long  through  the  City 
of  New  York,  separating  Manhattan  Island  from  the  larger 
portion  of  the  city  on  the  main  land. 

The  first  bridge  over  the  Harlem  River  was  built  under 
a  franchise  for  99  years,  graired  in  June,  1(593,  to  Predryck 
ETypsejD  or  Philipse,  to  build  and  maintain  at  his  own  expense 
a  bridge  over  the  Spuy  ten  Duyvil  Creek,  and  to  collect  cer- 
tain "  easy  and  reasonable  tolls"  from  such  passengers  as 
might  cross  it.  The  bridge  was  to  be  twenty-four  feet  w  ide 
and  provided  with  a  draw  of  sufficient  size  to  permit  the  pas- 
sage of  small  craft.  It  was  further  stipulated  that  it  should 
be  free  for  the  passage  of  the  King's  forces,  and  should  be 

132 


133 


I  3  l 


The  ( rreat  North  Side. 


called  King's  Bridge.  Tins  bridge  was  buih  during  the  same 
year,  a  little  to  the  east  of  the  site  of  the  present  structure 
which  hears  the  same  name.  It  remained  in  the  hands  of 
Philipse's  descendants  down  to  Revolutionary  times,  when  it 
was  forfeited  to  the  State  on  account  of  the  adherence  of  the 
family  to  the  English  ( 'row  n. 

About  1759  public  opinion  became  so  strongly  aroused 
against  the  payment  of  tolls  that  a  second  bridge,  called  the 
Free  Bridge,  was  built  by  public  subscription  at  or  near  the 
site  of  the  present  farmer's  or  Fordham  Bridge.    This  diverted 

all  the  travel  from  the  old  structure  and  the  obnoxious  tolls 
were  finally  suspended. 

The  next  bridge  was  built  at  Third  Avenue  by  J.  B.  Coles, 
in  1795  to  1797.  He  was  at  first  reimbursed  by  tolls  collected 
from  tin1  passengers  over  it. 

This  bridge  remained  in  use  until  IS.").")  or  1X58  when  it 
was  torn  down  to  give  place  to  the  bridge  which  has  ju^t 
been  removed.  The  latter  was  completed  and  opened  to  the 
public  in  18(>7.  It  was  very  low,  being  only  l:\.'2  feet  in  the 
clear  above  high  water,  with  an  opening  on  each  side  of  the 
centre  pier  of  82  feet. 

In  1813  authority  was  granted  to  Robert  Macomb  to 
build  a  bridge  with  a  draw  where  the  Seventh  Avenue  Bridge 
now  stands.  He  built  it,  however,  without  a  draw  and 
dammed  the  river  at  that  point.  About  the  same  time,  it 
was  also  dammed  at  King's  Bridge  and  remained  a  tidal  mill 
pond  until  1886,  when  a  number  of  Westchester  farmers  tore 
down  the  Macomb's  dam  and  re-opened  navigation.  Later,  a 
wooden  bridge  was  constructed  at  the  same  place  with  a 
swing  draw,  known  as  Macomb's  Dam  Bridge,  which  was  in 
constant  use  up  to  1891,  when  it  was  moved  a  short  distance 
up  the  river  (See  Scientific  American  of  July  14,  1894)  to 
make  room  for  the  new  steel  bridge,  and  was  used  while  the 
latter  was  under  construction. 

The  Fourth  Avenue  Railroad  Bridge  was  authorized  in 


135 


130 


The  ( ireat  North  Side. 


184<>,  and  the  railroad  bridgeover  Spuyten  Duyvil  Creel  was 
authorized  in  1846.  These  bridges  were  built  for  railroad 
purp<  »scs  only. 

High  Bridge  was  completed  in  L849,  and  is  a  portion  of 
t he  old  Croton  Aqueduct,  carrying  tin-  water  across  tin*  valley 
of  the  Harlem,  [t  extends  from  L75th  Street  and  LOth  Avenue 
to  Aqueduct  Avenue. 

It  will  be  noticed  thai  the  bridges  referred  to  w&re  erected 
previous  to,  and  were  in  position  in  1874,  the  date  of  the 
passage  of  the  Act  annexing  the  territory  on  the  north  side 
of  the  river  to  the  City  of  N«-w  Fork. 

At  that  time,  while  the  lands  under  water  on  Manhattan 
Island  were  vested  in  the  corporation  of  the  City  of  New 
York,  the  lands  under  water  on  the  Westchester  side  were  in 
almost,  if  not  in  all,  cases  vested  in  the  riparian  owners  by 
grants  from  the  Commissioners  of  the  Land  Office,  at  Albany. 
In  some  eases,  the  hinds  under  wafer  were  secured  to  the 
riparian  owners  by  patents  granted  }>ri<>r  to  the  Revolution. 

The  survey  of  the  stream  by  the  V.  S.  Government  En- 
gineers was  authorized  by  act  of  Congress,  June  2  >,  1N74.  Tin1 
channel  depth  in  the  Harlem  River  and  Sjmi\ ten  Duyvil  Creek 
is  15  feet  at  mean  low  water.  In  the  channel  along  Dyk- 
man's  Creek  there  is  a  depth  of  18  feet  at  mean  low  water. 

From  the  Third  Avenue  Bridge  to  the  entrance  of  Dyk- 
man's  Creek  into  the  Harlem  River,  a  distance  of  about  five 
miles,  exterior  pier  and  bulkhead  lines  are  laid  out,  400  feet 
apart.  The  line  through  Dykman's  Meadows,  about  one  half 
mile  long,  is  350  feet  wide.  The  balance  of  the  stream  to  the 
Hudson  River  is  400  feet  in  width.  The  average  rise  and  fall 
of  the  tide  in  the  river  is  5  ft.  9  in.  at  the  East  River  end  and 
4  ft.  6  in.  at  the  Hudson  River. 

The  work  of  making  the  channel  navigable  between  the 
Hudson  and  East  Rivers  was  sufficiently  complete  at  the  close 
of  the  year  1894  to  warrant  the  celebration  by  the  North  Side 
Board  of  Trade  of  the  formal  opening  of  the  Harlem  River 


L38 


The  Great  North  Side. 


Canal  by  a  land  and  water  parade,  and  a  banquet  on  June  17. 
1895. 

The  banks  of  the  river  on  both      1  <  ^  for  tin1  greater  part 

arc  admirably  adapted  fco  the  building  of  wharves,  slips,  and 
basins,  and  will  afford  opportunity  for  the  addition  of  new 
dock  frontage  aboul  L44  miles  in  length  through  an  im- 
portant part  of  the  city.  At  High  Bridge  and  at  Washington 
Bridge  the  land  on  both  sides  of  the  river  is  high  enough  fco 
permit  of  approaches  substantially  level  with  the  bridge 
floors. 

Vested  interests,  ami  the  rapid  growth  in  wealth  and 
population  compelled  a  demand  for  more  and  better  facilities 
for  transportation  over  the  river,  and  since  annexation  five 
new  bridges, — Northern  U.K.,  L877;  Madison  Ave.,  1884; 
Second  Avenue,  1885;  Washington.  1KKU;  and  Broadway, 
1894;  have  been  built  24  feet  above  mean  high  water,  to 
conform  to  the  requirements  of  the  War  Department. 

Two  bridges  of  sufficient  height  to  conform  to  the  act  of 
Congress,  have  been  built  to  take  the  place  of  the  Macomb's 
Dam  Bridge  and  of  the  Railroad  Bridge  at  Fourth  Avenue. 
The  new  bridge  at  Third  Avenue  is  now  in  process  of  con- 
st ruction. 

The  contract  for  the  new  Willis  Avenue  Bridge  will  soon 
be  under  way,  having  approaches  at  125th  Street  and  Second 
Avenue  and  134th  Street  and  Willis  Avenue,  has  not  yet  been 
awarded.    The  estimated  cost  of  the  1  (ridge  is  $1,666,000. 

The  North  Side  Board  of  Trade  asked  the  Commissioner 
of  Public  Works  to  make  provision  for  a  recreation  park  on 
one  of  the  fixed  spans  of  the  north  side  of  the  bridge.  Such 
a  park,  sixty-six  feet  wide,  and  several  hundred  feet  long,  af- 
fording a  fine  view  of  the  East  River,  Ward's  Island,  and  the 
valley  of  the  Harlem  River,  in  the  near  vicinity  of  a  large 
tenement  population,  would  prove  a  wise  benefaction.  The 
petition  of  the  Board  was  not,  however,  treated  with  the 
respect  it  deserved. 


140  The  ( ircat  North  Side. 

The  presenl  plans  of  the  Rapid  Transil  Commissioners 
include  h  bridge  over  the  Elarlem  at  Fourth  Avenue,  north  of 
the  present  railroad  bridge. 

Chapter  986,  Laws  of  1895,  authorizes  the  construction  of 
a  bridge  at  1  19th  Street  to  connect  with  145th  Street  <>n 
the  Elarlem  side,  and  Boundings  are  now  being  taken.  This 
bridge,  when  built,  will  be  of  great  utility ,  as  it  w  ill  be  the  con- 
necting link  between  two  thoroughfares,  making  a  practically 
straight  line  between  the  Hudson  River  and  tin*  East  River. 

An  act  was  passed  1>\  the  Legislature  of  1  s(J7,  providing 
for  the  acquisition  of  lands  to  conned  the  Macomb's  Dam 
Bridge  with  the  Concourse.  It  is  proposed  to  build  an  or- 
namental iron  viaduct,  with  two  sidewalks,  two  roadways  lor 
vehicles  and  two  bicycle  tracks,  to  cost  about  k50o,ooo. 

Bridges  oyer  the  Bronx  River  at  Westchester  Avenue, 
Woodruff  Avenue,  Tremont  Avenue,  and  at  Wakefield,  to  be 
built  under  the  supervision  of  the  Commissioner  of  Street 
Improvement,  have  l>een  arranged  for,  and  the  plans  arc  weli 
under  way. 

Under  Chapter  970  of  the  l\  S.  Laws  of  1890,  it  is  pro- 
vided that  the  Secretary  of  War  shall  fix  the  time  during 
which  the  draws  shall  be  opened,  but  that  '-said  draw  s  shall 
not  l>e  opened  except  for  vessels  propelled  by  steam,  with  or 
without  vessels  in  tow;  nor  shall  they  he  required  to  he 
opened  at  any  times  other  than  between  ten  o'clock  in  the 
forenoon  and  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon."  Experience  has 
shown  that  the  draws  should  not  he  opened  between  five  a.  m. 
and  eight  p.  m.,  and  that  all  steam  tugs  should  he  compelled 
to  adopt  devices  to  enable  them  to  pass  tinder  the  fixed  draws 
at  all  stauvs  of  the  tide. 

With  the  completion  of  the  new  bridges  having  a  clear 
space  of  24  feet  above  high  water,  and  the  enforcement  of  the 
U.  S.  Law  of  1890,  and  of  the  ordinance  of  the  Department  of 
Public  Parks  of  November  30,  1892,  many  of  the  disadvantages 
associated  with  a  territory  separated  by  a  navigable  stream 


I  12 


The  Cn  at  North  Side 


crossed  by  low  level  bridges  from  the  old,  wealthy,  and  thickly 
settled  portion  of  the  city  of  w  hich  it  is  a  part,  w  ill  be  greatly 
lessened,  and  some  practically  removed. 

The  commerce  of  the  river  will  be  principally  in  building 
materials, fuel, and  the  product  of  factories  along  its  banks, 
This  bulky  freight  w  ill  be  carried  in  steam-propelled  vessels, 

adapted  to  passage  under  its  bridges,  which  will  in  time 
become  practical!}  fixed  bridges,  affording  uninterrupted 
transit ;  thus  increasing  the  value  of  properties  on  the  North 
Side  to  very  nearly  an  equality  with  those  of  like  character 
on  Manhattan  Island,  and  stimulating  growth  in  population 
and  wealth  in  ever}  section  of  fche  North  Side. 

The  bridges  re-built,  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  1'.  S. 
Law,  those  in  progress  of  construction,  and  the  others  a>  ar- 
ranged for,  are  all  conspicuous  examples  of  engineering  skill 

and  adaptation.  For  beauty  of  desigp  and  detail  of  mechanism, 
they  are  as  fine  examples  of  bridge  construction  as  can  be 
found  anywhere. 

The  table  on  page  144  shows  the  traffic  across  fche  more  im- 
portant bridges  spanning  the  Harlem  River  during  the  year 
1895. 

The  statistics  relating  to  car  traffic  were  furnished  by  the 
various  railroad  companies. 

The  figures  in  connection  with  vehicular  and  pedestrian 
traffic  (two  last  columns  of  table)  are  based  on  actual  count, 
made  during  May,  1895,  between  the  hours  of  7  a.m.  and  7  P.M., 
and  therefore  represent  only  the  traffic  for  the  twelve  heaviest 
hours  daily. 

The  commerce  of  the  Harlem  River,  above  Second  Avenue, 
for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1893,  was,  approximately,  2,666,- 
526  tons,  distributed  as  follows  : 

Handled  by  N.  Y.  &  Putnam  R  R.  .  .  .     166,066  tons. 

Distributed  alono-  the  river   2,475/275  " 

"  .  Spuyten  D.  Cr   25.185  " 

2,666,526  tons. 


U3 


1 1 1 


The  Great  North  Side. 


Number  of 
Pedestrians. 

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Number  of 
Street  Cars. 

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Number  of 
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Cross  Bridge. 

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145 


146 


The  Great  North  Side. 


The  foregoing  statistics  show  clearly  that  the  traffic  over 
the  various  bridges  greatly  exceeds  in  volume  and  importance, 
the  commerce  of  the  stream. 

A  short  description  of  each  of  the  bridges  is  given,  fol- 
lowed by  a  tabulation. 

8EOOND  A. VENUE  BRIDGE 

The  Second  Avenue  Bridge  was  built  in  \HS~y  by  the  Sub- 
urban Rapid  Transit  Company  a<  a  railroad  bridge.  It  is 
28.5  feet  above  high  water,  and  gives  a  clear  opening  013  each 

side  of  the  draw  of  103.7  fret.  In  L887,  by  arrangement  w  ith 
the  Park  Board,  a  foot  path  was  opened  across  it  for  the  free 

use  of  the  public.  It  is  now  u-ed  by  the  Manhattan  Railway 
Company,  and  also  the  New  York,  New  Haven  A  Hartford 
Railroad  Company,  which  has  a  station  at  129th  Street. 

The  total  cost  w  as  $203,05,?. 

HARLEM,  OR  THIRD   AVENUE  BRIDGE. 

The  new  bridge,  which  is  to  replace  the  old  one,  is  now  in 
course  of  construction.  The  draw  span  when  finished  will 
have  a  total  Length  of  l)(.h>  feet,  giving  a  clear  opening  for 
vessels  of  102  feet  on  each  side,  and  the  bottom  chord  will  be 
24  feet  above  high-wate:  line.  It  will  have  two  sidewalks, 
each  9  feet  wide;  two  roadways,  16  ft.  (.>  in.  wide  on  each  side 
for  trucks,  etc.,  and  in  the  centre  a  space  17  ft.  w  ide,  giving 
room  for  a  north  and  a  south  bound  car  track. 

The  northern  approach  will  consist  of  a  truss  1 1  7  feet  long 
from  the  end  of  the  draw  span  to  the  commencement  of  an 
open  steel  structure,  supported  on  columns  which  will  cany 
the  roadway  by  an  easy  incline  as  far  north  as  134th  Street. 
From  that  point  there  will  be  a  solid  fill  between  granite 
walls  until  the  grade  of  Third  Avenue  is  reached  at  135th 
Street.  The  grade  from  135th  Street  to  the  Southern  Boule- 
levard  will  be  3  feet  in  100  feet,  and  thence  to  the  bridge  I A 
feet  in  100  feet. 


148  The  Great  North  Side. 

The  southern  approaches  will  he  two  in  number;  one  run 
aing  wesl  along  the  northerly  house  line  of  i;*otli  Street  to 
Lexington  Avenue,  and  the  other  following  a  hoi'se-shoe  curve 
to  reduce  the  Bteepness  of  the  incline,  reaching  the  grade  of 
Third  Avenue  on  its  easterl  v  side  at  128th  Street.  The  grades 
of  both  these  approaches  will  he  :>  feet  in  l<>n  feet. 

Strenuous  efforts  were  made  by  the  North  Side  Board  of 
Trade  and  similar  organizations  to  secure  for  this  great  struc- 
ture a  direct  approach  on  Third  Avenue,  1  >  u  t  without  success. 
Bui  sufficient  attention  was  given  to  these  efforts  to  secure  the 
extension  of  the  easterly  approach  from  midway  between  Third 
and  Second  Avenues  on  129th  Street  to  12sth  Street  and  it< 
junction  with  Third  Avenue  ;  and  also  the  widening  of  this 

approach  to  a  60  ft.  roadway  and  our  i<»  ft.  sidewalk  on  the  easl 
side,  and  the  proposed  addition  i  >f  a  10  ft.  sidewalk  on  the  north 
side  of  tin1  Lexington  Avenue  approach. 

The  efforts  to  secure  the  erection  of  an  open  w  ork  struc- 
ture on  tin'  north  side  were  successful,  w  hile  those  in  behalf 
of  an  approach  on  the  Southern  Boulevard  failed. 

The  contract  for  building  this  bridge  and  approaches  was 
awarded  to  Mr.  Isaac  A.  Hopper.  It  is  expected  that  the 
bridge  will  be  opened  to  travel  about  March  1,  1898. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  structure  and  approaches,  exclu- 
sive of  land  values,  is  si, 400,000. 

FOURTH   A  V  EN  I "  E  (  RAILROAD  )  BRIDGE. 

The  new  bridge,  which  is  a  four-track  structure,  is  one  of 
the  few  bridges  in  this  country  with  that  number  of  tracks 
placed  side  by  side.  It  has  a  total  width  of  61  feet.  It  \wis 
opened  to  traffic  over  two  tracks  on  January  17,  1897,  and  on 
four  tracks  September  20,  1897. 

The  raising  of  the  tracks  at  the  bridge  to  the  required 
height  involved  a  vast  amount  of  construction  both  on  the 
north  and  south  sides.  It  is  estimated  that  the  total  cost  of 
the  improvement  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  $3,000,000. 


I  IQ 


1 50 


The  ( ii  cat  North  Side. 


MADISON  AVENUE  BRIDGE. 

Madison  Avenue  Bridge  was  built  under  the  direction  of 
tht1  Commissioners  of  Public  Parks,  and  was  completed  in 
lcSS4.  It  connects  188th  Street  on  the  east  with  Madison 
Avenue  on  the  west,  and  has  a  total  length,  including  the 
approaches,  <>f  1163  feet.  The  draw,  when  open,  gives  a  clear 
channel,  on  each  side,  of  132  feet,  and  is  28  feet  above  high 
water  line. 

The  roadway  is  22  feet  wide,  and  the  sidewalks  each  8 
feet  w  ide. 

The  flooring  of  the  draw  is  of  plank,  and  the  roadway  <>f 
the  approaches  of  granite  block  pavement. 

The  grades  of  the  approaches  are  about  5  feet  in  lOofeet. 

It  is  crossed  by  the  cars  of  the  Union  Electrie  Railway 
Company,  and  the  Madison  Avenue  horse  line,  and  is  of  great 
importance  as  a  connecting  link  with  Manhattan  [aland. 

The  total  cost  was  $492,295. 

During  the  construction  of  the  new  Third  Avenue  Bridge, 
this  structure  has  proved  entirely  inadequate  to  carry  the 
traffic,  and  now  that  the  avenues  leading  to  it  on  the  south 
side  have  been  improved  by  modern  paving,  and  138th  Street 
on  the  North  Side  is  to  be  widened  to  100  feet,  the  present 
bridge  should  be  removed  and  replaced  by  a  better  one, 
having  well  paved  roadways  and  easier  approaches. 

SEVENTH  AVENUE  BRIDGE. 

In  1886,  it  was  decided  to  build  a  viaduct  from  Wash- 
ington Heights  to  connect  vrith  a  bridge  over  the  Harlem  at 
155th  Street.  Work  was  commenced  on  the  viaduct  in  1890, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Department  of  Public  Works,  and 
it  was  opened  to  the  public  in  1893.  It  has  a  total  length 
of  1500  feet,  and  crosses  over  the  elevated  railroad,  with 
which  it  is  connected  by  stairways.  The  roadway,  40  feet 
wide,  is  paved  with  granite  blocks  laid  in  cement,  and  the 
sidewalks  on  each  side,  10  feet  wide,  are  also  laid  in  cement. 


L52 


The  Great  North  Side. 


It  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $789,000,  one  half  the  expense  being 
borne  by  the  property  benefited,  and  the  other  by  the  city 
at  large. 

The  bi  •idge  proper,  was  authorized  by  Chapter  207,  Laws 
of  1890,  which  specifies  that  no  surface  railroad  shall  cross  it. 
It  was  built  by  the  Department  of  Public  Parks,  and  is  731 
feet  long,  being  made  up  of  a  swing  draw  400  feet  long,  a 
truss  225  feet  long  over  the  N.  Y.  Central  <fe  Hudson  River 
R.  R.  Company's  tracks,  and  a  viaduct  106  feet  long  connect- 
in-'  fche  t  wo. 

The  draw  span  is  2<S  feet  above  high-water  mark,  and 
gives  a  clear  channel  of  l(>f)  feet  on  each  side,  when  open. 
It  weighs  2400  tons,  and  is  the  heaviest  in  the  world.  It 
is  supported  on  a  circular  granite  pier,  built  on  a  steel 
caisson,  w  hich  rests  on  solid  rock.  It  turns  on  12S  cast  steel 
rollers  arranged  in  two  concentric  rings  and  is  opened  or 
closed  by  a  <T5  horse-power  engine  in  1 \  minutes. 

rl  ne  flooring  is  of  steel  buckle  plates,  paved  with  asphalt 
which  gives  a  remarkably  smooth  and  durable  surface.  The 
roadway  has  a  width  of  40  feet,  and  the  sidewalks  of  9  feet. 
There  are  two  approaches  on  the  North  Side,  one  1740  feet 
long,  leading  to  Jerome  Avenue,  and  the  other  350  feet  lead- 
ing to  Ogden  Avenue.  They  are  supported  on  granite 
foundation  piers,  and  the  roadways,  etc.,  correspond  in  width 
and  style  of  pavement  with  that  of  the  bridge. 

The  bridge  and  northern  approaches  were  completed  and 
opened  to  the  public  May  1st,  ISM.). 

The  total  cost  of  the  bridge  was  about  §1,989,000. 

NEW  YORK  AND  PUTNAM  BRIDGE. 

The  bridge  of  the  N.  Y.  &  Putnam  R.  R,  which  crosses 
the  river  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above  the  Seventh  Avenue 
Bridge,  was  built  about  1877.  It  is  provided  with  a  steel 
draw  300  feet  long  and  28  feet  above  high  water,  wTith  open- 


5  3 


154 


The  Great  North  Side. 


ings  128  feet  wide.  It  carries  two  railroad  tracks,  and  a  foot 
path  for  free  public  use. 

The  cost  of  this  bridge  was  about  §200,000. 

UK. ii  BRIDGE. 

High  Bridge,  locate* I  about  one  third  of  a  mile  below  the 
Washington  Bridge,  was  completed  in  1849,  and  is  a  portion  of 
the  old  Croton  Aqueduct,  carrying  the  water  across  the  valley 
of  the  Harlem  River.  It  extends  from  One  Hundred  and 
Seventy-fifth  Street  and  Tenth  Avenue  to  Aqueduct  Avenue. 

Various  schemes  were  proposed  for  the  aqueduct  at  this 
point,  and  in  1*:*7  a  contract  was  actually  let  and  work 
started  on  a  rock  till,  with  an  arch  at  tin*  centre  eighty  feet 
wide  and  thirty  feel  high,  the  intention  being  to  lay  the  water- 
pipes  on  top  of  the  embankment  and  cover  them  with  earth. 

The  government,  however,  seeing  that  such  a  structure 
would  prove  an  effectual  bar  jo  the  further  improvement  of 
the  river  as  a  navigable  stream,  refused  t<>  permit  the  contin- 
uance of  the  work,  and  caused  the  construction  of  the  bridge 
as  it  now  stands.  It  has  a  total  length  of  1450  feet,  made  up 
of  15  semi-circular  arches,  8  of  w  hich  are  of  <S(>-feet  and  7  of 
50-feet  spans.  The  bridge  is  about  25  feet  wide,  and  provided 
with  a  pathway  for  fool  passengers,  but  has  no  provision  for 
vehicles. 

The  arches  at  the  crown  rive  a  clear  height  of  100  feet 
above  high  water. 

The  Croton  water  is  carried  in  three  large  pipes  built  in 
brick  masonry.  Two  of  cast  iron,  each  three  feet  in  diameter, 
were  laid  lirst,  but  were  soon  found  to  be  of  insufficient  capac- 
ity. Between  1860  and  L864  the  Croton  Aqueduct  Commis- 
sioners raised  the  side- walls  of  the  bridge  and  laid  a  wrought 
iron  pipe,  7  feet  6  inches  in  diameter,  over  the  other  two. 
The  new  Croton  Aqueduct  crosses  under  the  river  just  north  of 
this  bridge. 

The  bridge  was  built  by  the  city  at  a  total  cost  of  $963,428. 


155 


156  The  Great  North  Side. 

WASHINGTON  BRIDGE. 

The  Washington  Bridge,  extending  from  One  Hundred  and 
Eighty -first  Street  and  Tenth  Avenue  on  the  west  bo  Aqueduct 
Avenue  on  the  east,  is  one  of  the  most  notable  structures  cross- 
ing the  Harlem,  l>oth  in  appearance  and  in  form  of  construc- 
tion, The  two  main  spans  arc  parabolic  steel  arch  structures, 
each  of  six  parallel  ribs.  These  ribs  are  built  up  of  immense 
roitssoi/s  of  steel,  forming  sections  analogous  to  the  ring  stones 
in  a  masonry  arch.  These  sections  are  constructed  in  the 
form  of  an  kk  I  "  beam,  the  fiances  of  the  beam  being  made  up 
of  a  number  of  plates,  w  hile  the  w  eb  is  a  single  piece.  They 
are  each  13  feet  in  depth.  The  ribs  rest  on  steel  pins,  18 
inches  in  diameter,  placed  at  the  springing  point  of  the  arch, 
and  supported  on  pillow  blocks  carried  by  the  abutments. 
The  arches  spring  from  granite  piers,  which  are  carried  up  to  the 
level  of  the  floor  system.  This  floor  is  supported  by  latticed 
posts  resting  on  the  arched  ribs,  and  is  a  little  higher  than 
the  crown  of  the  arches. 

The  principal  dimensions  of  the  bridge  are  as  follows: 
Total  length,  2375  feet,  made  up  of  the  two  steel  arches,  each 
510  feet  long,  the  eastern  approach  of  four  masonry  arches 
making  342  feet,  and  a  solid  till  between  granite  walls  about 
325  feet  long,  and  the  western  approach  of  three  masonry 
arches  277  feet  long,  and  a  solid  fill  as  on  the  east  side  of 
about  411  feet.  The  clear  height  of  the  main  arches  above 
high  water  is  133  feet.  The  roadway,  which  is  paved  with 
asphalt,  is  50  feet  wide,  and  the  sidewalks  each  L5  feet.  The 
piers  rest  on  caissons  which  are  carried  dow  n  to  solid  rock. 
There  are  40,000  cubic  yards  of  dressed  granite  and  gneiss,  and 
about  14,750,000  pounds  of  iron  and  steel  in  the  structure. 

The  bridge  is  hoped  by  engineers  to  help  solve  the  prob- 
lem of  the  relative  value  of  steel  and  masonry  construction, 
as  both  forms  are  used  in  it.  The  masonry  arches  are,  of 
course,  much  smaller,  but  the  effects  of  time  on  each  will  be 
carefully  noted. 


The  Great  North  Side. 


157 


The  commissioners  appointed  to  build  the  bridge  asked  for 
competitive  designs,  and  offered  prizes  for  them — $1500  to 
the  best,  and  $1000  to  the  second  best.  The  first  prize  was 
avoii  by  C.  C.  Schneider,  and  the  bridge  was  built  on  almost 
the  lines  shown  in  his  design. 

The  bridge  was  two  years  in  building,  and  was  opened  to 
the  public  use  in  1889. 

It  cost  $2,851,684. 

BROADWAY  BRIDGE. 

The  Broadway  Bridge  over  the  Harlem  ship  canal, 
connecting  the  old  Kingsbridge  Road  on  the  south  with  Broad- 
way  on  the  north,  was  commenced  in  April,  1893,  and  com- 
pleted in  December,  1894.  It  has  a  total  length  of  551  feet, 
made  up  of  the  two  approaches  and  a  swing  draw. 

The  draw  span  is  205  feet  long,  giving  a  clear  channel  on 
each  side  when  open  of  about  85  feet.  The  bottom  chord  of 
the  draw  is  26.5  feet  above  hi^h  water. 

The  '-oadway  is  50  feet  wide,  and  the  sidewalks  8  feet, 
both  paved  with  asphalt.  The  centre  piers,  abutments,  and 
masonry  on  the  approaches  are  of  granite. 

The  bridge  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $450,000. 

SPUYTEX  DUYVIL  (RAILROAD)  BRIDGE. 

The  present  bridge  of  the  N.  Y.  Central  &  Hudson 
River  R.R.  at  Spuyten  Duyvil  Creek,  is  a  low  structure  of 
wood  and  iron.  It  has  a  swing  draw  1t4q  feet  above  high 
water,  which  gives  a  clear  opening  of  26.2  feet  on  each  side 
when  open.    This  bridge  was  authorized  in  1846. 

Preliminary  surveys  and  soundings  have  been  made  with 
reference  to  a  new  bridge  to  comply  with  the  law,  but  nothing 
definite  has  been  decided  upon  as  yet. 


1 58 


The  ( rreat  North  Side. 


BROADWAY   BRIDGE,  SPANNING  8PUYTEN  DUYVIL  GREEK. 

A  Contract  was  awarded  June  14,  1<S(.>7,  to  Messrs.  Gilder- 
sleeve  As  Smith,  for  the  const  met  ion  of  a  bridge  over  Spuyten 
Duyvil  Creek  at  Broadway,  to  replace  the  old  bridge. 

Total  cost,  $53,607.50. 

WILLIS  AVENUE  KUIDOE  :  (Proposed) 

As  before  staled,  tlie  plans  for  a  new  bridge  to  span  the 
river  from  Willis  A. venue  to  Lsl  Avenue,  have  been  approved, 
and  the  contract  will  shortly  be  under  way. 

The  plans  provide  for  a  swing  draw  310  feet  long,  giving 
108  feet  clear  opening  on  each  side,  and  having  a  height  above 
high  water  of  24  feet.  The  southern  approach  w  ill  be  585 
feet  long,  made  up  of  a  masonry  incline,  from  125th  Street  and 
1st  Avenue  345  feel  long,  and  a  trU88  240  feet  long  from  tile 
end  of  the  incline  to  the  end  of  tin*  draw.  ( )n  the  north,  the 
incline  of  masonry  will  commence  at  134tli  Street  and  Willis 
Avenue,  extending  200  feet.  From  this  point,  there  will  be  a 
steel  viaduct  47(.>  feet  long,  extending  to  the  draw,  and  sup- 
ported on  eight  sets  of  steel  pillars  on  masonry  and  pile  foun- 
dations. The  roadway  and  sidewalks  are  to  be  respectively 
40  and  13  feet  in  width,  and  will  be  paved  with  asphalt. 

The  estimated  cost  is  $1,666,000. 


The  Great  North  Side.  159 


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PUBLIC  WORKS. 


Chapter  545  of  the  Laws  of  lM'o,  which  transferred  all 
the  powers  possessed  by  the  Department  of  Public  Parka  in 
relation  to  the  public  worts  on  the  North  Side,  authorizes  the 
work  which  is  performed  by  the  Department  of  Street  Im- 
provements. One  of  the  most  important  works  that  could  he 
done  for  the  development  of  the  North  Side,  the  want  of 
which  has  hitherto  set  a  limit  upon  its  development  and  popu- 
lation until  now,  has  just  been  completed.  I  refer  to  the  final 
lay-out  and  adoption  of  the  maps  of  the  new  street  system. 
For  seventeen  years  prior  to  the  establishment  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Street  Improvements  no  reliable  and  complete  map 
of  the  North  Side  existed.  One  of  the  most  serious  defect 
of  the  system  was  the  frequent,  unnecessary,  and  ill-advised 
changes  of  maps  involving  changes  of  locations,  lines,  and 

1 60 


162 


The  Great  North  Side. 


grades  of  streets  and  avenues;  these  changes  prevented  a 
scientific  and  uniform  street  system.  The  work  hasnow  been 
completed  and  a  comprehensive  and  permanent  map  estab- 
lished. The  maps  not  only  show  the  new  lav  out  of  the 
street  system,  hut  also  the  angles  and  dimensions  of  the  Mock-, 
the  new  grades  and  the  contour  lines  of  the  topographical 
features. 

The  work  performed  in  the  Engineering  Bureau  of  the 
Department  of  Street  Improvements  has  been  divided  into 
three  branches,  as  follows  : 

1st.    Topographical  work. 

2d.  Regulating,  grading,  curbing,  flagging,  paving,  and 
la\  Lng  cr< >^w  alks,  etc 

3d.    The  constructing  of  sewers  and  appurtenances, etc. 

TOPOGRAPHIC  A  L  WORK. 

This  work  is  of  a  multifarious  nature  and  is  done  prin- 
cipally under  the  Following  heads: 

SURVEYING  AM)   LAYING-OUT  OF    TIN;  NORTH  BIDS. 

The  general  scope  of  this  work  being  the  conversion  of 
this  great  area  from  farm  land  into  city  property.  More 
correctly  it  may  be  defined  as  the  preparation  of  the  exad 
working  plans  according  to  which  a  great  city  shall  l>e 
constructed. 

MONUMENTING. 

This  work  consists  in  placing  stone  monuments  or  iron 
bolts  at  the  angles  of  intersecting  >treets  and  avenues  for  the 
purpose  of  delineating  the  exact  location  of  the  same  on  the 
ground. 

FINAL  MAPS  AND  PROFILES  OF  THE  NORTH  SIDE. 

The  general  plan  of  the  street  system  for  the  whole  North 
Side  (exclusive  of  the  district  east  of  the  Bronx  River)  was 
prepared,  covering  12,317  acres.    This  plan  shows  the  general 


163 


The  Great  North  Side. 


course  and  location  of  avenues  and  streets.  The  district  was 
subdivided  into  28  sections,  and  a  title  page,  an  index  page, 
28  map  pages,  and  58  profile  pages,  on  a  scale  of  L50  (eel  to 
one  (1)  inch,  were  prepared  and  submitted  for  the  final 
approval  and  concurrence  of  the  Board  of  Street  Opening 
and  Improvement*  After  this  concurrence  had  been  obtained, 
three  (3)  copies,  for  filing,  of  each  of  these  88  maps  were 
made  and  filed  previously  t<>  January,  1  Vh;,  as  provided  for  in 
Chapter  44tt  of  tin*  Laws  of  1 w  hich  act  extended  the 

time  of  completion  of  the  street  plan  as  originally  ordered 
under  ( lhapter  5  L5  of  the  Law  s  of  L890. 

The  plan  was  adapted  to  the  topography  and  its  ultimate 
occupation  of  the  different  areas  of  the  region  laid  out, 
whether  Eor  commercial  purposes,  for  manufacturing  or  general 
business,  or  for  residences.  The  street  plan  provides  direct, 
hence  shortest,  thoroughfares  between  objective  points.  It 
provides  that  the  grade  of  >t  refts  snail  uever  be  excessive  |  ex- 
cept in  a  lew  cases)  and  that  the  lightesl  ones  occiii-  on  main 
thoroughfares.  It  provides  that  there  he  sufficient  inclination 
to  the  streets  to  give  speedy  surface  drainage.  It  provides 
streets  through  which  the  main  lines  <>f  sewers  can  be  con- 
structed with  the  least  amount  of  work;  it  was  taken  into 
consideration  that  in  the  present  and  future  appearance  of  the 
streets  there  shall  be  no  abrupt  and  broken  grades,  that  there 
shall  be  ample  opportunity  of  placing  large  and  important 
buildings  where  their  architectural  effects  shall  be  enhanced 
and  not  smothered;  it  provides  broad  thoroughfares  to  the 
new  system  of  parks,  and  at  the  most  eligible  points;  it  pro- 
vides for  aslittle  injury  in  die  subdivision  of  private  property 
as  possible;  it  provides  for  business  and  manufacturing  sec- 
tions as  well  as  for  suburban  districts  for  residences  ;  it 
provides  for  the  readiest  access  to  railroad  stations  and  the 
water  front ;  it  provides  for  safety  at  all  railroad  crossings. 
All  these  general  considerations  have  been  regarded  in  the 
final  arrangement  of  the  lay-out. 


The  Great  North  Side. 

The  genera]  plan  has  been  adopted  and  concurred  In  by 
the  Board  of  Street  Opening  and  Improvement  after  hearings 
given  to  the  people  interested  and  has  been  died.  This  will 
settle  for  all  time  the  genera]  system  of  fche  North  Side. 
Local  changes  may  he  made  here  and  there.  bu1  QO  general 
alteration  w  ill  ever  be  attempted. 


•5  d 

. \ I « ■ ; i  in 

Aeres. 



Miles  of  Streets  Lai«l 

~  — 

Number  of  Monumental 

Sections. 

Out  and  Defined  bj  I  A- 

inensions. 

E  / 

and  Holts  partly  Set 
and  to  !)••  Set  in  Sect  i<  »ns. 

1 

358.2 



LS.96 

82 

128 

2 

514.6 

L8.55 

I  1  1 

194 

3 

409.6 

17.71 

L07 

202 

4 

4847 

20.39 

L20 

160 

5 

315.7 

15.01 

97 

L21 

6 

491.4 

lit.  57 

11 5 

271 

7 

456.5 

10.4s 

108 

206 

8 

388.8 

L2.62 

78 

1  36 

9 

585.5 

21.757 

1 48 

321 

LO 

544.i; 

17.08 

L08 

813 

11 

399.9 

15.65 

92 

216 

L2 

426.3 

9.20 

»57 

152 

13 

464.8 

15.00 

111 

228 

14 

529.1 

21.77 

L60 

319 

15 

480.0 

15.404 

77 

882 

16 

520.3 

15.75 

81 

552 

17 

408.6 

14.84 

98 

207 

18 

079.3 

12.03 

72 

183 

19 

408.3 

8.20 

52 

110 

20 

484.0 

6.25 

22 

136 

21 

829.1 

12.49 

69 

800 

22 

841.2 

9.915 

48 

230 

23 

262.5 

b'.O 

47 

134 

24 

347.3 

11.94 

70 

267 

25 

227.2 

8.45 

58 

161 

26 

818.8 

6.5 

27 

158 

27 

1,147.4 

4.73 

3 

44 

28 

Given  in  Sections 
12  and  18. 

1.42 

3 

23 

Total. 

12,323.2 

371.456 

2256 

5918 

The  above  is  a  statement  giving  (1st)  the  number  of 


i67 


L68 


The  ( ireat  North  Side. 


sections;  (2nd)  area  in  acres  in  each  section;  (.'><!)  miles  of 
streets  laid  <>ut  and  defined  by  dimensions;  (4th)  number  of 
Mocks  in  each  section,  and  (5th)  number  of  monuments  and 
bolts  partly  set  and  to  be  set  in  each  section. 

TIIK  PREPARATION  OF  THE  TAX   MAPS  OF  THE  WORTH  SIDE. 
(CHAP,  411   OF  THE  LAWS  OF  L876.) 

This  work  consists  in  making  location  surveys  from  monu- 
ments of  new  avenues  and  streets,  of  all  property  and  existing 
street  lines,  making  searches  in  the  Register's  office,  making 
calculations  to  establish  the  relation  between  the  property  lines 
and  tiled  streets,  calculating  the  net  and  gross  areas  of  each 
plot,  and  drafting  maps,  etc 

In  the  preparation  of  the  tax  maps  the  Following  informa- 
tion is  given  : 

1st.    The  exact  area  in  city  lots  and  fractions  of  all  property. 

2d.  The  exact  shape  of  each  lot  in  addition  to  its  dimen- 
sions. 

3d.  The  shape  and  dimensions  of  all  streets. 

4th.  The  legal  status  of  streets. 

5th.  The  old,  as  well  as  new,  names  of  streets. 

6th.  The  titles  of  all  tiled  maps  of  property  as  originally 
subdivided,  and  w  hen  filed. 

STttEET  OPENINGS* 

This  work  consists  of  furnishing  all  maps  required  by  the 
Commissioners  of  Estimate  and  Assessment,  and  in  the  mat- 
ter of  opening  avenues  and  streets,  such  surveys  and  maps  as 
may  be  required  by  them  (Chapter  5 79  of  the  laws  of  1880), 
and  consists  in  preparing; 

1st.  Rule  maps  and  technical  descriptions  of  land  to  be 
taken  in  proceedings  to  acquire  title  for  the  use  of  the  public 
to  land  required  for  avenues,  streets,  and  roads. 

2d.  Making  surveys  to  locate  the  land,  buildings,  fences, 
etc.,  included  within  the  lines  of  streets  to  be  opened. 

3d.    Making  draft  damage  maps  for  Commissioners  of 


170  The  Great  North  Side. 

Estimate  and  Assessment  showing  every  parcel  of  land  to  be 
taken,  with  the  owner's  name,  fche  metes  and  bounds,  and  the 
number  of  square  feet  contained  therein;  all  buildings  and 
their  dimensions,  with  improvements  and  materials  of  which 
t  hej  are  constructed. 

4th.  Making  draft  benefit  maps  and  area  calculations 
showing  all  the  lots  or  plots  to  be  assessed,  the  block  numbers 
and  ward  numbers,  and  the  Commissioners1  map  numbers,  the 

names  of  the  owner  of  each  lot,  and  the  number  of  Square  feel 
contained  therein. 

5th.  Making  duplicate  copies  of  both  the  damage  and 
benefit  maps,  to  be  bound  in  boob  Form  with  fche  report  of  the 
Commissioners  t<>  the  Supreme  Court. 

6th.  Making  profiles  and  other  supplementary  maps  for 
the  information  of  fche  Commissioners. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  fche  topographical  work 
done  by  the  Department  of  Street  Improvements  from  Janu- 
ary 1st,  1891,  to  September  30th,  1897: 

SURVEYING,   LAYING-OUT,  MONUMENTING,  &C. 

255  maps  or  plans  were  submitted  for  adoption  by  this 
1  department. 

180  maps  or  plans,  in  triplicate,  were  submitted  for  filing. 
Instructions  were  prepared  for  setting  2358  monument 
points. 

Instructions  were  prepared  for  testing  1088  monuments. 
Instructions  were  prepared  for  referencing  1065  monu- 
ments. 

The  field  parties,  took  accurate  measurements  of  632  miles, 
for  running  traverses,  setting  monument  points,  referencing 
and  testing  monuments,  &c. 

The  field  parties  set  stakes  for  2551  monuments. 

The  field  parties  referenced  1201  monuments. 

The  field  parties  tested  1344  monuments. 

The  field  parties  set  1654  monument  stones  and  bolts. 


I7i 


172 


The  Great  North  Side. 


TAX  MAIN. 

Volume  IX.,  of  the  tax  maps  of  the  24th  Ward,  covering 
an  area  of  918.09  acres,  consisting  of  28  maps,  w  as  completed 
March,  1891.  (This  volume  was  partially  completed  before 
the  creation  of  the  Department  of  Street  Improvements.) 

Volume  X.,  covering  an  area  of  1774.29  acres,  consisting  of 
28  limps,  was  completed  June,  1892. 

Volume  XL,  covering  an  area  of  787  acres,  consisting  of 
35  maps,  was  completed  December,  1893. 

Volume  XII.,  covering  an  area  of  84G.2  acres,  consisting  of 
34  maps,  was  completed  December,  1894. 

STREET  OPENINGS. 

Rule  maps,  in  triplicate,  ami  technical  descriptions  were 
prepared  for  acquiring  title  to  389  avenues  and  streets. 

Draft  damage  maps,  in  duplicate,  were  prepared  for  acquir- 
ing title  to  2G0  avenues  and  streets. 

Draft  benefit  maps,  in  duplicate,  were  prepared  for  acquir- 
ing title  to  178  avenues  and  streets. 

Final  copies  of  draft  damage  and  benefit  maps  were  pre- 
pared for  acquiring  title  to  1  72  avenues  and  streets,  consisting 
of  5596  maps. 

The  field  parties  made  damage  map  surveys,  locating 
houses,  fences,  etc.,  within  the  lines  of  304  avenues  and  streets  ; 
such  surveys  form  the  basis  for  calculations  required  for  the 
preparation  of  the  damage  maps. 

150  miles  of  avenues  and  streets  were  legally  opened  from 
January  1,  1891,  to  September  30,  1897. 

319  proceedings  for  acquiring  title  to  avenues  and  streets 
were  pending  September  30,  1897,  aggregating  a  total  of  147 
miles. 

The  surveys,  calculations,  and  maps  for  the  above  319  pro- 
ceedings were  in  various  stages  of  completion. 


173 


174 


The  Great  North  Side. 


SEWERAGE    AND  DRAINAGE. 

Plans  of  drainage  for  sewerage  districts  in  various  sections 
were  prepared,  defining  the  location,  course  and  grades  of  each 
sewer  and  drain,  and  the  alteration  and  improvement  in  exist- 
ing sewers.  All  those  sections  where  the  population  is  the 
most  dense  were  completed. 

The  following  plans  for  sewerage  for  drainage  districts 
were  prepared,  submitted  to  a  public  hearing,  adopted  and 
filed: 

I  1  plans  relating  to  the  Ice  Pond  District. 

5  plans  relating  to  the  Third  Avenue  District. 
29  plans  relating  to  the  Mill  Brook  District. 
9  plans  relating  to  the  Bungay  Creek  District. 
15  plans  relating  to  the  Leggett's  Creek  District 
18  plans  relating  to  the  Cromwell's  Creek  District 

9  plans  relating  to  the  Harlem  River  District. 

II  plans  relating  to  the  Tibbett's  Brook  District. 

1  plans  relating  to  the  Bronx  River  District,  making  a 
total  of  111  plans. 

LEVELS. 

Levels  were  taken  on  about  120  miles  of  avenues  and 

streets. 

MAP-    AND  CATALOGUES. 

Maps  and  catalogues  for  the  auction  sale  of  encroach- 
ments within  the  lines  of  185  avenues  and  streets,  to  which 
title  was  acquired  by  the  City,  were  prepared. 

MILES  OF  STREETS  LEGALLY  OPENED  OX  THE  NORTH  SIDE. 

Previous  to  annexation   31.460  miles 

From  January  1,  1874,  to  January  1,  1891     .     49.608  ;< 
From  January  1,  1891,  to  September  30,  1897  150.000  " 
Miles  of  streets,  &c,  adopted  and  concurred  in 
from  January  1,  1891,  to  September  30, 
1897    371.456  " 


17(>  '    The  Great  North  Side. 

REGULATING,   ORADIXO,  CURBING,  FLAGGING,   RAVING,  AND 

LAYING  CROSSWALKS,  Arc. 

In  the  North  Side  the  demand  for  public  improvements 
has  been  steadily  growing. 

From  1874,  the  year  of  annexation,  to  January  1,  1891 
(17  years),  there  were  231  ordinances  adopted  for  public  im- 
provements, an  average  of  13.59  per  year.  From  January  1, 
1891,  to  September  30,  1897,  there  were  471  ordinances  adopted 
for  public  improvements,  an  average  of  nearly  68  per  year. 

From  January  1,  1874,  to  January  1,  1891,  10.91  miles  of 
streets  were  paved,  an  average  of  0.64  miles  per  year. 

From  January  1,  1<S91,  to  September  30,  1N97,  42.12  miles 
of  streets  were  paved,  an  average  of  6.00  miles  per  year,  and 
3.20  miles  were  paved  with  asphalt,  not  including  asphalt 
81  rips. 

In  addition,  Third  Avenue  from  1 3 8th  Street  to  17<>th 
Street  w  as  re-paved,  equalling  11,834  linear  feet,  or  65,651.2 
square  yards. 

SUMMARY   OF   Wo  UK    DONE  FROM  JANUARY   1,    1891,  TO  SEP- 
TEMBEB  30,  1897. 

788,812.0  cubic  yards     earth  excavation. 
558,428.8  cubic  yards  of  rock  excavation. 
2,641,125.5  cubic  yaids  of  filling. 
585,260.2  linear  feet  of  new  curl)  set. 
21,465.9  linear  feet  of  old  curb  set. 
204,600.43  square  feet  of  new  flagging  laid. 

42.672.3  square  feet  of  old  flagging. 

332,088.8  square  feet  of  bridgestone  for  crosswalks. 
684,174.6  square  yards  of  granite-block  pavement. 
24,312  square  yards  of  trap-block  pavement  relaid. 
20,627  square  yards  of  brick  pavement. 
109,411.5  square  yards  of  trap-block  pavement. 

92.232.4  square  yards  of  asphalt  pavement  laid  (replaced 
trap-block). 


The  Great  North  Side. 


177 


187,294.2  cubic  yards  of  dry  rubble  masonry. 

24,618.0  linear  feet  of  pipe  drain. 

23,104.0  pounds  of  vitrified  stoneware. 

457,670.0  feet  (B.  M.)  lumber  for  foundation. 

16,940  feet  of  piles. 

8334.8  cubic  yards  of  concrete. 

42,278.8  linear  feet  of  fence  built. 

16  receiving  basins. 

528  surveys  made. 

430  plans  made. 

325  assessment  lists  and  plans  made,  in  duplicate. 

COMPARATIVE  STATEMENT  OF  WORK  DOXE   EN  THE  NORTH  SIDE, 
UNDER  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PUBLIC  PARKS  AND  UNDER 
THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  STREET  IMPROVEMENTS. 


Prior  to  Jan.  1,1891,  From  Jan.  1,  1891.  to 
17  years  and  over,  j       Sept.  30,  1897. 


Lin.  ft.  Miles. 


Lin.  ft. 


Streets  and  avenues  regulated  audi 
graded  

Curb  stones  set  (includes  old  and 
new)  I 

Flagging  laid  (includes  old  andj 
new)  

Crosswalks  laid  

Pavement  laid  

Repaying  Third  Avenue.  .  .  . 


126,770  2400 

407,942 

77.22 

209,769  39.72 

606,725 

114.94 

195,688'  37.06 

1,278.256 

498.89 

29,120  5.51 

208,218 

15.73 

57,605  10.91 

476.352 

39.14 

11,834 

2.24 



Miles. 


The  total  number  of  roads  in  present  use  in  the  North 
Side  is  214  miles,  of  which 
45  miles  are  paved  roads, 
55  miles  are  macadamized  roads, 
114  miles  are  earth  roads. 

The  following  table  shows  the  number  of  gas  mains  in 
the  North  Side  and  the  number  of  public  lamps  now  lighted 
up  to  January  1,  189l  : 


The  Great  North  Side. 


179 


Central  Gas  Light  Company  

Northern  Gas  Light  Company  

Yonkers  Gas  Light  Company  

K  Y.  &  N.  J.  Globe  Gas  Light  Company. 
Naphtha  (Woodlawn  Heights)  

North  Eiyer  Electric  Light  &  Power  Com- 
pany.   


Mains. 


62.52 
35.00 
19.13 


miles. 


Lamps. 

1253 
2178 
655 

158 

801 


134  miles  of  water  mains  are  laid  in  the  North  Side  with 
1603  hydrants. 

SEWERS  AND  APPURTENANCES. 

The  question  of  sewerage  and  drainage  has  received  first 
consideration.  The  entire  area  of  the  water-sheds  has  been 
surveyed,  and  the  plau  and  grades  of  the  street  system  em- 
braced in  it  were  determined  before  the  plans  for  the  sewerage 
and  drainage  were  finally  settled,  and  the  capacity  proper  for 
the  main  sewers  and  their  branches  are  accurately  established. 

The  work  done  as  to  sewerage  and  drainage  plans  in  the 
different  water-sheds  in  succession,  is  as  follows  : 

1.  THE  HUDSON  RIVER  WATER- SHED. 

This  consists  of  some  569  acres,  covering  an  area  less  than 
a  half  a  mile  in  average  width  and  about  2^  miles  in  length. 
About  an  average  width  of  1000  feet  next  to  the  Hudson 
River  is  occupied  by  the  river  bank  proper. 

2.  SPUYTEN  DUYVIL  CREEK  WATER- SHED. 

This  little  district  comprising  122  acres  is  situated  at  the 
very  extremity  of  the  Spuyten  Duyvil  Promontory  where  the 
drainage  flows  directly  into  the  creek. 

3.    tibbett's  brook  water-shed. 

This  large  district  contains  about  2292  acres,  of  which 
some  1300  acres  of  the  water-shed  lie  in  Yonkers, 


The  Great  North  Side 


181 


4.  THE  HARLEM  RIVER  WATER- SHED 

This  consists  of  that  portion  of  the  eastern  bank  of  the 
Harlem  River  extending  south  from  Kingsbridge  Road  to 
Jerome  Avenue,  a  comparatively  narrow  strip  about  4  miles 
in  length  with  an  average  width  of  1600  feet,  and  containing 
992  acres. 

5.  cromwell's  creek  water  shed. 

This  district,  which  lies  along  Jerome  Avenue  on  either  side, 
contains  nearly  1000  acres,  extending  from  near  Jerome  Park 
to  the  Harlem  River. 

6.      ICE  POXD  BROOK  WATER-SHED. 

This  small  district  of  some  530  acres  extends  from  Clare- 
mont  Park  to  the  Harlem  River. 

7.      MILL  BROOK  WATER-SHED. 

This  comprises  some  2524  acres,  making  it  second  in  size 
only  to  that  of  the  Bronx  River.  It  is  the  most  important 
one,  as  within  its  limits  is  found  the  greatest  portion  of  the 
population  of  the  North  Side.  It  includes  most  of  the  built- 
up  portions  of  the  districts  formerly  known  as  Melrose, 
Morrisania,  Tremont,  and  Fordham.  It  is  about  6  miles  in 
length.  South  of  Fordham  Station  its  average  width  is  some 
3000  feet,  while  to  the  north  it  widens  out  considerably. 

8.      BUNGAY  CREEK  WATER-SHED. 

This  comprises  about  408  acres,  and  includes  within  its 
limits  most  of  the  property  subdivisions  known  as  Eltona, 
Woodstock,  and  East  Morrisania. 

9.      PORT  MORELS  WATER- SHED. 

This  consists  of  260  acres,  situated  south  of  the  Port 
Morris  Branch  of  the  Harlem  Railroad  and  east  of  Cypress 
Avenue.  Its  drainage  flows  directly  easterly  and  southerly 
from  the  high  ground  to  the  Long  Island  Sound. 


182 


The  Great  North  Side. 


183 


10.    leggett's  creek  water-shed. 

It  contains  about  865  acres,  and  extends  from  East 
Tremont  to  Long  Island  Sound,  lying  just  east  of  the  old 
(eastern)  town  line  of  Morrisania.  It  is  about  2.6  miles  in 
length  by  one-half  a  mile  in  average  width. 

11.    .THE  BRONX  RIVER  WATER-SHED. 

This  water  shed,  the  largest  on  the  North  Side,  contains 
some  2700  acres.  It  contains  West  Farms,  Fairmount,  Bel- 
mont, and  Williamsbridge,  and  Woodlavvn  Cemetery.  It  lies 
altogether  alono;  the  western  bank  of  the  Bronx  River  from 
Long  Island  Sound  nearly  to  Mount  Vernon,  a  distance  of 
about  seven  miles ;  its  width  varies  from  about  a  mile  to  less 
than  700  feet. 

The  sewerage  plans  for  all  avenues  and  streets,  371.5  miles 
in  all,  are  completed. 

Six  of  these  water-sheds  have  already  been  provided  with 
trunk  sewers  and  two  are  under  construction. 

SUMMARY  OF  WORK  DONE  FROM  JANUARY  1,  1891,  TO 
SEPTEMBER  30,  1897. 

104817.8  lin.  ft.  of  brick  sewer. 

256147.2  lin.  ft.  of  pipe  sewer. 

225.  lin.  ft.  of  6  in.  iron  drain  pipe. 

63072  spurs  for  house  connections. 

3689  manholes  built. 

752  receiving  basins  built. 

390464.5  cub.  yds.  of  rock  excavation. 

479.3  cub.  yds.  of  concrete  (extra). 

10918.5  cub.  yds.  of  broken  stone  (extra). 

2418.5  cub.  yds.  of  rubble  masonry  in  mortar  (extra). 

371731.  lin.  ft.  of  piles,  driven,  cut  off,  etc. 

2950735.  feet  (B.  M.)  of  lumber  for  foundation. 

3197862.  feet  (B.  M.)  of  lumber  for  sheeting. 

316  preliminary  surveys  and  rock  soundings  made. 


The  Great  North  Side.  185 


395     plans  for  sewers,  etc.,  completed  and  preliminary 

estimates  made. 
261     duplicate  tracings,  etc.,  made. 
230     assessment  lists  and  plans  completed. 
Comparative  statement  of  work  done  in  the  North  Side 
under  the  Department  of  Public  Parks  and  under  the  Com- 
missioner of  Street  Improvements. 

before  1874. 

Brick  sewers  constructed   0.347  miles. 

Pipe  sewers  constructed   2.893  " 

Number  of  manholes  built   105 

Number  of  receiving  basins  built   130 

FROM  JANUARY  1,  1874,  TO  JANUARY  1,  1891  (17  YEARS). 

Sewers  built   176,299  lin.  ft,  or  33.39  m. 

Manholes  constructed  1,603 

Receiving  basins  constructed  567 

FROM  JANUARY  1,  1891,  TO  SEPTEMBER  30,  1897. 

Brick  sev  ers  constructed  104,817.8  lin.  ft.  or  19.85  m. 

Pipe  sewers  constructed   256,147.3  "    "    "  48.51  " 

Manholes  constructed  3,689 

Receiving  basins  constructed.  .  .  .  752 

Total  length  of  sewers  constructed  in  23d  and  24th  Wards 
(exclusive  of  district  east  of  Bronx  River)  prior  to  and  since 
annexation  to  September  30,  1897,  equals  554,421.82  lin.  feet 
or  105.004  miles. 

Total  length  of  sewers  constructed  in  district  east  of 
Bronx  River  equals  4,869  miles. 

THE  GRAND   BOULEVARD  AND  CONCOURSE. 

One  of  the  most  important  of  the  contemplated  public 
improvements  in  the  23d  and  24th  Wards  is  the  Grand 
Boulevard  and  Concourse,  laid  out  on  the  Central  Section  of 


186 


The  Great  North  Side. 


187 


the  Final  Maps,  etc.,  of  the  two  wards.  There  is  needed  in 
the  North  Side  a  spacious  and  attractive  drive  connecting 
Central  Park  with  the  upper  park  system;  Van  Courtlandt 
Park,  Mosholu  Parkway,  Bronx  Park,  Bronx  and  Pelham 
Parkways,  and  Pelham  Park,  which  are  now  from  the  point 
of  view  of  driving  for  pleasure,  almost  inaccessible.  The 
plan  and  design  of  the  Concourse  will  be  free  for  all  time 
from  the  encroachments  and  demands  of  traffic  and  business, 
and  while  it  will  be  a  lasting  source  of  enjoyment  and  health 
for  present  and  future  generations,  this  Grand  Boulevard 
and  Concourse  will  exist  in  the  city's  heart  and  will  in  no  way 
impede  the  progress  of  the  city's  growth  in  trade,  traffic,  and 
commerce,  but  on  the  contrary  strengthen  and  accelerate  it. 
It  will  open  for  development  a  wide  section  of  real  estate,  from 
which  betterments  and  lar^e  increase  of  taxable  valuation  will 
be  secured.  It  will  be  4^  miles  long.  It  will  include  not 
only  a  wide  speedway,  but  a  double  boulevard  for  common 
pleasure  driving,  broad  walks,  promenades,  cycle  paths,  all 
to  be  adorned  with  lawn  parking  and  shade  trees,  and  will  be 
intersected  by  nine  transverse  roads,  passing  underneath  the 
same,  for  the  accommodation  of  railways  and  heavy  traffic.  It 
will  be  an  improvement  worthy  of  the  great  metropolis  of  the 
country.  The  new  Concourse  will  give  a  continuous  sight  of 
New  York's  beauties.  It  will  be  a  drive  of  extraordinary 
delightful ness  and  practical  convenience,  and  will  offer  the 
peculiar  attractiveness  arising  from  the  sense  that  one  may 
drive  for  miles  without  encountering  an  interruption  in  the 
road  or  a  change  in  its  character. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  North  Side  depends 
upon  two  general  causes :  1st,  the  pushing  of  public  works  in 
its  relation  to  the  general  commerce  of  the  city,  and  2d,  its 
attractions  as  a  place  of  residence.  The  North  Side  can  com- 
bine them  both  ;  its  natural  advantages  for  gathering  popula- 


188  The  Great  North  Side. 

tion  by  attractions  for  residences  are  as  matchless  as  its 
commercial  advantages. 

The  building  of  the  water  front,  the  opening  of  tlx*  Harlem 
Ship  Canal,  the  development  of  the  magnificent  park  system, 
the  creation  of  the  Botanical  Garden,  the  construction  of  the 
Grand  Boulevard  and  Concourse,  with  its  approach  and  en  i  ranee, 
new  bridges  over  the  Harlem  River,  the  construction  of  the 
new  reservoir  at  Jerome  Park,  and  additional  rapid  transit 
facilities,  and  other  contemplated  improvements  in  the  North 
Side  will  be  of  immense  advantage  to  the  population  and  its 
benefits  distributed  through  the  w  hole  territoiy. 

It  is  the  province  of  the  Department  of  Street  Improve- 
ments, and  it  has  been  the  result  of  its  operations, to  embrace 
and  develop  by  its  public  works  the  attractions  of  the  North 
Side  as  a  place  of  residence.  What  has  been  done  in  the  past 
is  but  little  compared  to  what  is  expected  to  be  done  in  the 
immediate  future,  for  the  work  of  improvement  must  go  on 
though  the  Department  ceases  to  exist. 


PARKS  AND  PARKWAYS. 


The  North  Side  has  many  advantages  and  attractions  to 
recommend  it  to  the  casual  visitor,  and  also,  and  more  particu- 
larly, to  the  home  seeker  or  investor  ;  and  among  them  all, 
perhaps  the  most  potent  is  the  magnificent  system  of  new 
parks  and  parkways  which  has  recently  been  opened  to  the 
public ;  parks  which,  with  every  year,  are  becoming  more 
accessible  to,  and  more  appreciated  by,  not  only  the  residents 
of  the  district,  but  inhabitants  of  all  the  city  and  by  visitors 
from  without  the  State. 

Until  the  year  1883  New  York  was  lamentably  deficient 

in  park  area,  not  less  than  five  cities  in  the  United  States 

exceeding  her  in  that  respect  and  many  other  unimportant 

cities  in  various  parts  of  the  country  almost  equalling  her  in 

park  area.    Up  to  that  date  the  citizens  seemed  to  be  in- 

189 


L90 


The  Great  North  Side. 


different  to  the  fact  that  the  city  was  rapidly  increasing  in 
population  and  real  estate  was  rapidly  appreciating  in  value, 
whereas  no  provision  was  being  made  for  the  future  iii  the 
matter  of  adding  to  the  park  lands,  which  were  already  totally 
inadequate  to  the  needs  of  the  city. 

In  that  year,  however,  a  few  public-spirited  citizens  awoke 
to  the  appalling  condition  of  affairs,  called  the  matter  to  the 
attention  of  the  Legislature,  and  an  act  was  passed  April  19th, 
1883,  for  the  appointment  of  Commissioners  to  select  and 
locate  lands  for  public  parks.  The  II<>n.  Franklin  Kdson 
was  at  that  time  Mayor  of  the  City  and  he  appointed  as  that 
Commission,  Luther  R.  Marsh,  Louis  Fitzgerald,  Waldo 
Hutchins,  C.  L.  Tiffany,  Geo.  W.  McLean,  Thomas  J.  Crom- 
bie,  and  William  W.  Xiles.  These  Commissioners  served  w  ith- 
out pay  and  generously  gave  their  time,  energy  and  experi- 
ence for  the  benefit  of  the  people.  The  Secretary  of  the  Com- 
mittee was  John  Mullaly,  td  w  hose  untiring  efforts  much  of 
the  credit  was  due  for  the  successful  accomplishment  of  the 
work  of  the  Commission. 

The  limits  of  this  article  will  not  permit  an  extended  de- 
scription of  the  efforts  which  follow  ed.  Nor  will  it  be  possible 
to  tell  at  length  of  the  devotion  to  their  work  of  such  men  as 
the  President  of  the  Commission,  Luther  R.  Marsh,  and  of  the 
resident  members,  Waldo  Hutchins  and  William  W.  Xiles; 
of  the  indifference  and  even  active  opposition  of  those  in 
high  places  and  the  apathy  of  the  general  public;  of  the 
large  amount  of  territory  carefully  inspected  and  the  various 
interests  which  had  to  be  considered  in  reaching  a  determina- 
tion. 

Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  work  was  finally  accomplished, 
and  that,  too,  within  the  astonishingly  short  period  of  less  than 
one  year.  A  report  was  made  to  the  next  Legislature.  The 
report  was  approved  by  the  Legislature.  The  lands  were 
duly  condemned  and  finally  paid  for  and  the  city  entered  into 
the  possession  of  three  thousand  acres  of  land  as  finely  adapted 


L92 


The  ( iivat  North  Side. 


to  park  purposes  as  any  oil  the  Continent.  The  new  parks 
with  their  acreage  are  as  follows: 

Van  Cortlandl  Park   1131.35  acres 

Bronx  Park   661.60  M 

Pell. at. i  Bay  Park   175& 

Crotona  Park   L41.65  " 

St.  Mary's  Park   28.7Q  " 

Claretnonl  Park   88.05  M 

The  size  of  these  parks  can  perhaps  he  better  appreciated 
when  it  is  home  in  mind  that  Central  Park,  the  largest  on 
Manhattan  Island,  contains  s.4<>  acres.  The  parkways  eon- 
necting  these  parks  contain  in  round  numbers  4200  acres  more. 
Cedar  Park,  which  was  acquired  before  the  kk  New  Parks, n 
contains  17.47  acres;  several  smaller  parks  or  public  places 
have  also  recently  been  acquired  at  Cromwell's  ( Jreek,  Tremont, 
Ford  ham,  and  Universitj  Heights. 

Of  the  value  to  the  City  at  large  and  especially  to  the 
North  Side  of  these  new  parks,  little  need  be  said.  Any  one 
who  lias  visited  Van  Cortlandl  Park  on  a  clear,  bright,  winter 
day  and  seen  the  thousands  of  happy  skaters  Hitting  hither 
and  thither  on  Van  Cortlandt  Lake,  or  attended  one  of  the 
annual  reviews  and  witnessed  with  many  others  the  evolu- 
tions of  our  citizen  soldiery  ;  or  who  has  wandered  amid  the 
shady  dells  of  Bronx  Park  on  a  quiet  Sunday  afternoon  and 
seen  the  troops  of  children,  the  young  men  and  maidens,  and 
even  the  old  folks  enjoying  the  fresh  air  and  the  beautiful 
scenery  of  that  most  beautiful  of  parks,  has  had  an  argument 
presented  to  him  so  convincing  that  nothing  further  is  needed. 

In  the  summer  time  concerts  are  now  giyen  in  Bronx,  Cro- 
tona, St.  Mary's,  Cedar,  Claremont,  and  Van  Cortlandt  parks  and 
these  are  rapidly  becoming  an  essential  feature  of  life  on  the 
North  Side.  On  the  Saturday  afternoons  when  the  band  plays 
in  any  of  the  above-named  parks  the  people  congregate  in  large 
numbers  aud  the  scene  is  as  animated  and  attractive  as  any 
furnished  by  Hyde  Park  or  the  Bois  de  Boulogne.  Every 


193 


194 


The  < rreat  North  Side 


one  is  in  holiday  attire  and  all  classes  and  conditions  are  rep- 
resented, from  the  laborer,  enjoying  his  half-holiday  with  hifl 
wife  and  children,  to  the  millionaire  in  his  stately  victoria 

The  scenery  in  the  various  parks  is  highly  diversified.  In 
I VI ham  Bay  Park  there  are  wide  stretches  of  green  meadow, 
with  occasional  bits  of  woodlawn,  where  in  places  the  trees 
are  so  large  one  might  almost  fancy  one's  self  in  the  primeval 
forest ;  and  there  right  at  hand  is  the  Sound  with  its  beautiful 
bine  waters,  and  the  distant  view  of  Long  Island,  and  inlets 
and  bays  w  ith  unparalleled  opportunities  for  boating, bathing 
and  fishing  in  broad  or  protected  w  aters  w  ithout  end,  and  some 
(piaint  old  houses  that  take  one  back  to  Revolutionary  .times 
along  its  short  s. 

The  visitor  to  Bronx  Park  finds  it  hard  to  convince  him- 
self that  he  is  actually  within  the  limits  of  the  largest  City  in 
America  and  only  half  a  mile  from  a  railway  station.  Follow- 
ing the  winding  foot-paths  he  passes  great  masses  of  granite 
that  recall  New  Hampshire,  and  in  one  place  under  a  forest  of 
evergreens  that  one  would  hardly  expect  to  find  this  side  of 
Norway.  Through  a  rock-cut  chasm  i  nns  the  Bronx  River,  a 
pretty  stream  forming  quite  a  lake  above  the  dam,  and  then 
rocky  rapids  below,  where  the  water  i<  so  shallow  that  the 
children  can  go  in  wading  in  the  pools.  In  this  park  is  a  great 
stone  mansion,  the  former  residence  of  the  Lorillards,  who,  at 
their  mills  just  below,  started  the  making  of  their  great  for- 
tune. The  house  recalls  one  of  the  old  castles  of  the  Conti- 
nent, so  solidly  is  it  built,  and  lends  not  a  little  romance  to 
the  charms  of  the  park.  Many  very  interesting  natural  curi- 
osities are  found  in  Bronx  Park.  Among  them  are  the  u Bear's 
Den,"  a  natural  cave  in  the  rock  ;  the  "Indian  Burying  Ground," 
a  curious  collection  of  upright  stones  recalling  the  headstones 
of  a  cemetery  ;  and  most  wonderful  of  all,  the  great  "  Rocking 
Stone  "  in  South  Bronx  Park.  This  is  a  great  bowlder  weigh- 
ing several  tons,  and  so  nicely  balanced  that  a  very  slight  ex- 
ertion will  rock  it  upon  its  base. 


195 


196 


Fhc  ( iruat  North  Side. 


A  large  part  of  Van  ( 'ort  land t  Park  is  a  great  parade  ground 
where  the  whole  First  Brigade  can  be  reviewed  at  once  and 
leave  room  beside  for  a  small  army  to  manoeuver  in.  Adjoin- 
ing the  parade  ground  ifl  a  pretty  lake  where  thousands  of 
skaters  congregate  in  winter  and  where  boats  cat]  be  had  in 
summer. 

Beyond  the  lake  the  park  rises  rapidly,  until  from  the 
highest  point  a  magnificent  panorama  can  be  had  including  the 
Palisades,  the  hills  of  Westchester  County  and  the  growing 
city  to  the  south.  The  old  Van  Cortlandt  man-ion  in  this 
park  dates  from  1  748,  and  was  occupied  for  a  time  during  the 
Revolutionary  war  by  General  Washington  when  he  was 
watching  the  British  troops  under  the  command  of  General 
Howe  in  New  York,  and  again  for  a  few  days  at  that  glorious 
period  when,  the  trials,  hardships,  and  defeats  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary struggle  being  ended,  he  rested  there  prior  to  enter- 
ing the  city  on  the  evacuation  of  the  British  army. 

The  house  is  still  in  good  condition  and  was  occupied  by 
the  Van  Cortlandt  family  until  the  property  was  acquired  by 
the  city,  and  is  now  used  as  a  museum  of  Revolutionary  relics 
by  the  Colonial  Dames.  It  alone  is  worth  a  visit  to  the  park, 
not  only  for  its  history  and  the  part  itplayed  in  the  events 
which  preceded  the  foundation  of  our  Republic,  but  for  its 
shapely  architecture  and  quaint  furnishings.  Much  could  be 
said  about  the  smaller  parks  did  space  permit.  Suffice  it  to 
.say  that  Crotona  Park  contains  in  Bathgate  woods  one  of  the 
finest  pieces  of  woodland  in  New  York,  short  of  the  Adiron- 
dack Mountains  ;  that  St.  Mary's  Park  with  its  miniature  lake 
fed  by  natural  springs,  its  hills,  vales,  and  woods,  and  beauti- 
ful view  of  the  Sound  and  East  River  is  one  of  the  most  charm- 
ing spots  near  the  city  ;  that  Clareniont  Park  with  its  wide 
stretches  of  meadow-land  recalls  the  beautiful  farming  country 
of  the  Berkshire  Hills. 

But  it  is  more  the  practical  side  of  the  question  which  it 
is  desirable  to  treat  of  here. 


StJWay'sPark 


198  The  Great  North  Side. 


The  father  of  a  family  looking  for  a  house  or  the  investor 
seeking  a  profitable  investment  may  perhaps  say  what  is  all 
this  worth  practically  ;  and  here  are  some  of  the  answers. 

The  two  smaller  parks  are  situated  in  localities  which  are 
already  quite  thickly  populated  and  their  value  in  BUch  a  sec- 
tion will  undoubtedly  be  conceded.  But  the  large  parks  are 
equally  valuable  to  the  resident. 

Bronx  Park  is  soon  to  be  the  site  of  one  of  t  he  finest  Botani- 
cal Gardens  in  the  world.  Some  of  tin1  wealthiest  men  in  the 
City  are  interested  in  the  project  and  the  money  is  already  Bub- 
scribed  to  enable  them  to  commence  operations.  While  it  is 
building  the  operations  will  give  employment  to  hundreds  of 
men  and  many  skilled  mechanics  and  when  it  is  completed  the 
Garden  will  furnish  one  of  the  most  attractive  sources  of  amuse- 
ment-and  instruction  in  the  city.  The  Botanical  Garden  will 
soon  be  supplemented  by  a  Zoological  Garden  which  will  un- 
doubtedly be  the  finest  in  the  United  States  and  which  will 
be  free  to  the  public  on  four  days  of  the  week. 

These  two  features  alone  will  add  very  greatly  to  the  de- 
mand for,  and  to  the  desirability  of,  residences  in  their  imme- 
diate vicinity. 

Crotona  Park  is  the  site  of  a  splendid  building  which  will 
be  the  Borough  Hall  of  the  North  Side. 

Van  Cortlandt  Park  is  already  used  for  military  reviews, 
which  bring  thousands  of  visitors  from  all  over  the  City,  who 
thus  become  acquainted  with  the  locality  and  with  its  desir- 
ability for  residential  purposes.  Between  and  connecting  the 
parks  are  wide  parkways  which  largely  extend  the  amount  of 
park  border.  These  are  to  be  improved  by  driveways  along 
their  outer  edge  sixty  feet  in  width,  which  will  permit  of  an 
extended  residence  section  facing  a  parkway  and  having  ac- 
cess thereto,  and  this  without  an  assessment  for  street  pur- 
poses, for  the  improvement  of  the  parks  is  a  charge  upon  the 
general  tax  levy. 

Already  improvements  have  been  made  in  the  park  area, 


200 


The  Great  North  Side. 


and  more  are  in  progress.  Bronx  and  Pelham  parks  contain 
beautiful  drives,  and  a  macadamized  road  connects  Bronx  and 
Van  Cortlandt  parks;  and  within  a  few  years  there  will  be 
some  ten  miles  of  drives  in  the  three  larger  parks  and  park- 
ways. 

In  conclusion,  a  word  should  he  said  as  to  how  to  reach 
these  various  pleasure  grounds  from  the  lower  part  of  the 
city. 

Van  Cortlandt  Park  can  he  reached  by  the  New  York  & 
Putnam  R.  R.,  which  runs  half-hourly  trains  from  the  155th 
Street  station  of  the  8th  Ave.  Elevated  Road. 

Bronx  Park  has  w  ithin  its  borders  a  station  of  the  Harlem 
R.  R.  called  Bedford  Park,  which  can  he  reached  by  Frequent 
trains  from  the  Grand  ( Centra!  Station,  and  it  can  also  be  reached 
by  trolley  from  L29th  Street  and  3d  Avenue  or  L35tb  Street 
and  8th  Avenue.  Pelham  Park  is  accessible  either  by  land 
or  water,  as  it  is  only  a  short  distance  from  Starin's  Glen  [si- 
and,  to  which  boats  run  during  the  summer  months.  It  is 
more  conveniently  reached,  however,  by  the  Portchester 
branch  of  the  N.  Y.  <fc  N.  II.  R.  K.,  whose  trains  connect  with 
the  elevated  trains  on  the  3d  and  2d  Avenue  lines  at  129th 
Street. 

Crotona  Park  can  be  peached  by  the  Harlem  R.  R.  to  Tre- 
mont,  or  directly  by  the  3d  Avenue  trolley  line,  which  starts 
from  3d  Avenue  and  129th  Street  and  skirts  the  park  for  a  con- 
siderable distance  ;  or  by  the  Suburban  Elevated  for  one  fare, 
connecting  directly  with  the  elevated  roads. 

Claremont  Park  can  also  be  reached  by  the  Harlem  R.  R., 
the  park  giviug  its  name  to  the  station. 

St.  Mary's  Park  is  only  a  short  distance  from  the  Subur- 
ban Elevated  and  the  3d  Avenue  trolley  roads. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  all  who  read  this  article,  whether 
investors,  home-seekers,  or  pleasure-seekers,  will,  on  the  first 
fine  day,  take  one  of  the  various  means  of  transit  mentioned 
to  one  or  more  of  these  beautiful  parks ;  and  they  may  rest 


201 


202 


The  Great  North  Side. 


assured  that  they  will  be  amply  repaid  for  tln-ir  trouble,  and 
surprised  and  delighted  at  the  discovery  of  t lit*  wonderful 
domain  which  is  the  property  of  the  City,  and  we  trust  grate- 
ful to  the  men  whose  wisdom  and  foresight  resulted  in  this 
acquisition  of  park  territory. 


.  From  Pen  Drawing  by  Albert  E.  Davis. 


203 


GENERAL  ADVANTAGES. 


To  write  an  article  upon  the  subject  of  the  general 
advantages  of  the  North  Side,  for  insertion  in  a  work  which 
may  be  supposed  to  contain  separate  articles  upon  almost 
every  subject  of  interest,  written  by  men  specially  qualified 
upon  the  particular  matters  treated  by  them,  may  be  said  to 
somewhat  resemble  what  we  were  taught  at  school  to  call 
re-capitulation ;  but  as  the  advantages  of  our  great  trans- 
Harlem  section  are  so  many  and  so  manifest  it  may  be  that 
some  of  them  have  been  passed  over  in  the  division  of  sub- 
jects. I  shall,  therefore,  endeavor  to  touch  but  lightly  upon 
matters  which  I  know  have  been  separately  assigned ;  and 
to  call  attention  to  some  which  are  to  my  mind  of  equal 
importance,  although  not  so  apparent  as  the  subjects  before 
alluded  to. 

205 


20b' 


The  Great  North  Side. 


An  important  feature  to  be  considered,  ifi  our  police  pro- 
tection, and  although  some  of  our  people  have  do!  always 
been  satisfied  with  the  number  and  location  of  the  police 
station  houses,  or  the  number  of  officers  assigned  to  our 
district,  it  is  quite  safe  to  say  that  few  suburban  cities 
are  as  well  protected.  We  have  the  31ei  Precinct,  located 
at  Sedgwick  Avenue  and  Depot  Place,  High  Bridge;  33d 
Precinct,  160th  Street  and  Third  Avenue;  34th  Precinct,  1925 
Bathgate  Avenue,  Tremont :  35th  Precinct,  at  KingBbridge : 
37th  Precinct,  at  138th  St.  and  Alexander  Ave.;  38th  Pre- 
cinct, at  Westchester  Village,  and  Bub-precincts  at  Wake- 
field and  City  Island.  The  City  Magistrates'  Court  for  the 
District  is  located  at  15sth  Street  and  3d  Ave.,  and  is  pre- 
sided over  by  the  city  magistrates  in  turn.  All  arrests  by 
the  police  in  the  District  are  primarily  disposed  of  in  that 
court.  The  total  number  of  officers  and  patrolmen  assigned 
to  the  precincts  named  is  as  follows:  4  captains,  29  sergeants, 
24  roundsmen,  505  patrolmen,  and  18  doormen  ;  making  a 
grand  total  of  575  men  of  all  ranks. 

In  addition  to  this  force  there  are  a  number  of  park 
policemen,  located  in,  or  assigned  to,  the  different  parks  of 
the  North  Side,  who  are  now  under  the  direct  supervision 
and  control  of  the  Department  of  Public  Parks,  but  soon  to 
be  merged  into  the  regular  force,  and  whose  sole  duty  is  to 
protect  the  parks,  and  keep  proper  order  within  their  bounds. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  we  are  not  without  an  efficient 
police  force  to  protect  the  people  and  enforce  the  law,  and 
I  know  of  no  interior  city  of  the  State,  of  equal  population, 
which  has  so  large  a  police  force  at  its  command,  and  certainly 
no  such  city  has  a  better-drilled  or  more  efficient  force  for 
the  speedy  suppression  of  lawlessness  and  disorder. 

The  Fire  Department  of  the  North  Side  has  fairly  kept 
pace  with  that  below  the  Harlem,  and  has  done  its  full  share 
to  earn  for  the  Department  in  the  City  of  New  York  the 
proud  but  well-deserved  title  of  the  best  drilled  and  organ- 
ized fire  force  in  the  world. 


Hire  Efi<uNeCoMo6o 


1 

1*' 

V 

I 


207 


2'>8  The  Great  North  Side. 


years  ago,  before  we  bad  the  benefit  of  this  splendid  equip- 
ment, fires  were  of  almost  daily  occurrence,  and  as  our  build- 
ings were  for  the  most  part  of  wood  the  destruction  was 
great,  and  a  fire,  particularly  at  night,  was  considered  almost 
tantamount  to  a  total  destruction,  and  insurance  rates  were 
correspondingly  high. 

Now  our  people  sleep  in  peace,  assured  of  the  never-ceas- 
ing watchfulness  of  these  guardians  against  the  dungersof  the 
night,  and  feeling  that  if  a  fire  happens  it  will  he  speedily 
suppressed  before  it  becomes  a  calamity. 

The  best  evidence  of  the  existence  of  a  perfect  fire  depart- 
ment is  the  low  rate  of  fire  insurance,  and  the  small  ratio  of 
loss;  and  DOW,  although  a  large  part  of  our  district  is  occu- 
pied with  frame  buildings,  and  there  are  few,  if  an)',  entirely 
fire-proof,  the  fire  losses  have  been  less  and  the  insurance 
rates  lower  than  in  almost  any  place  of  equal  size  and  density 
of  population  in  the  country.  Tie  profits  of  underwriters 
have  been  great  in  this  district  and  it  is  considered  one  of 
the  best  and  most  profitable  fields  in  their  business;  rates 
have  been  correspondingly  low  :  this  is  entirely  owing  to 
our  abundant  water  supply  and  perfectly  organized  fire 
service. 

The  force  on  the  North  Side  consists  at  present  of  nine 
engine  companies,  each  supplied  with  a  steam  fire-engine  of 
the  latest  and  most  perfect  design,  and  a  hose  tender;  two 
engine  companies  with  hose  wagon,  and  two  hook  and  ladder 
companies;  and  there  are  also  three  hook  and  ladder  trucks 
with  full  equipments  connected  with  the  engine  companies. 

The  uniformed  force  consists  of  22  officers  and  94  men, 
making  a  total  of  116  of  all  ranks.  New  companies  are  soon 
to  be  established  and  buildings  erected  at  Forrest  Avenue 
near  163d  Street ;  159th  Street  and  Railroad  Avenue  ;  Grand 
Avenue,  Woodlawn  Heights ;  Scofield  Avenue,  City  Island ; 
and  proceedings  are  under  way  for  a  new  site  for  Engine 
Company  No.  61,  in  the  village  of  Westchester. 


2og 


210  The  Great  North  Side. 


The  quarters  of  fche  different  companies  are  well  located, 
and  contain  every  accessor}  for  the  comfort  of  the  men,  an 
well  as  the  newest  and  most  perfect  equipment  for  rapid  and 
capable  service. 

Of  perhaps  quite  as  great  importance  to  our  mercantile 
growth  and  progress  is  fche  postal  service^  and  of  that  we  are 
justly  proud  :  within  fche  memory  of  many  even  of  our  young 
men,  that  service  consisted  of  a  single  postal  station  in  the 
23d  W  ard,  located  in  L67th  Streel  near  Vanderbill  Avenue, 
having  a  single  postmaster  with  no  assistant,  and  a  single 
carrier  who  was  a  free  lance,  not  in  government  employ,  but 
who  collected  two  cents  from  fche  recipient  of  each  letter  de- 
livered. The  transformation  has  l>een  gradual  hut  notable, 
until  we  now  have,  if  not  the  best  service  in  the  country,  one 
w  hich  is  rapidly  reaching  that  position.  Without  entering  into 
too  great  detail  w  e  have  seven  branch  post-office  stations.  kkR,,, 

located  at  1 50th  Street  and  Third  Avenue,  having  a  superin- 
tendent, 10  clerks,  and  19  earners;  5  daily  deliveries  of  mail 
matter  and  12  collections  on  w  eek  day-,  and  4  on  Sundays. 

Station  "S"  at  Kingsbridge  with  1  superintendent*  4 
clerks,  and  14  carriers;  f>  deliveries  daily  and  f>  collections. 

Station  "T"  at  71(.>  Tremont  Avenue  (177th  Street).  1 
superintendent,  4  clerks,  and  17  carriers;  4  deliveries  daily, 
and  5  collections. 

Station  "  N,"  at  Williamsbridge ;  1  superintendent,  3 
clerks,  and  6  carriers. 

Station  "  X,"  at  Westchester  ;  1  superintendent,  3  clerks, 
and  5  carriers. 

Station  "  Z,"  at  City  Island  ;  1  superintendent,  2  clerks, 
and  '2  carriers. 

u  High  Bridge,"  2  clerks,  3  carriers ;  4  deliveries,  and  4 
collections  daily. 

These  branch  stations  do  all  classes  of  regular  post-office 
business  which  are  done  at  the  main  office. 

In  addition  to  these  branch  offices  there  are  sixteen  sub- 


ENGINE  CO.  NO.  52,  RIVERDALE  AVE. 


211 


212  The  Great  North  Side. 

stations  conveniently  located,  for  the  sale  of  stamps,  register- 
ing of  letters,  and  issuing  and  paying  money  orders  ;  and 
numerous  agencies  for  the  sale  of  stamps  alone,  which  latter 
are  so  well  located  as  to  afford  all  Deeded  convenience.  Tin* 
district  is  well  supplied  with  mailing  boxes  affixed  to  the  lamp 

posts,  and  from  which  collections  arc  made  as  before  stated, 
and  they  are  so  numerous  that  it  is  seldom  necessary  to  go 
more  than  a  block  to  deposit  mail  matter. 

The  improvements  in  our  postal  service  are  continual  and 
at  all  times  meet  the  steadily  increasing  demands  of  trade. 
There  is  now  in  contemplation  for  the  immediate  future  the 
continuation  of  the  service  now  performed  by  the  .'id  Ave. 
cable  road  postal  cars,  to  the  trolley  roads  north  of  the 
Harlem. 

No  description  of  our  postal  facilities  would  be  complete 
without  at  least  a  brief  allusion  to  the  building  now  occupied 
by  Branch  "R"  at  150th  Street  and  Third  Avenue,  which 
has  lately  been  completed,  and  was  specially  designed  for  this 
branch.  It  is  an  ideal  building  for  the  purpose,  and  is  of 
striking  architectural  beauty.  Its  broad,  arched  portals  form 
a  fitting  entrance  to  a  most  perfect  interior. 

It  is  complete  in  every  detail,  both  for  the  employes  and 
the  public,  and  there  is  no  branch  station  in  the  city  at  all  to 
be  compared  to  it  for  elegance  of  design,  finish,  or  convenience. 

Many  miles  of  our  principal  streets  and  avenues  are  per- 
fectly paved  and  sewered,  and  the  work  of  completing  all  the 
streets  in  the  District  is  going  on  with  unexampled  rapidity, 
and  is  keeping  pace  with  the  continual  demand  for  improved 
building  sites. 

The  system  of  lighting  the  streets  by  gasdamps  has  been, 
in  a  large  measure,  superseded  by  the  latest  and  most  improved 
electric  lights,  and  many  of  our  manufacturers  and  store-keep- 
ers, particularly  on  the  main  thoroughfares,  are  substituting 
electric  lights  in  place  of  oil  or  gas. 

Our  water  supply  is  most  abundant,  and  of  great  purity  ; 


STATION  R,  NEW  YORK  POST-OFFICE,  3D  AND  WESTCHESTER  AVES. 


214 


The  Great  North  Side. 


it  is  drawn  from  the  upper  Bronx  River  at  Kensico,  and  car- 
ried by  a  pipe  line  to  the  reservoir  <>n  Gun  Hill  at  Williams- 
bridge,  the  altitude  of  which  is  sufficient  to  can1}'  the  supply 
into  the  highest  buildings. 

The  clubs  of  the  North  Side  are  so  numerous  that  the 
space;  allotted  to  this  article  will  only  allow  the  mention  of  a 
few  of  the  more  prominent. 

The  Mollis  Club,  so  named  in  honor  of  the  Morris  family, 
the  former  owners  of  a  large  part  of  the  North  Side,  located 
in  East  136th  Street,  is  entirely  social  and  non-political,  having 
an  active  membership  of  about  three  hundred,  all  of  them  con- 
genial spirits,\vho  are  proud  of  their  club  and  its  record. 

The  Schnorer  Club,  located  at  lh'.'id  Street  near  Third 
Avenue,  has  the  largest  membership  of  any  in  the  North  Side. 
Composed  largely  of  the  best  German  element,  it  is  noted  for 
its  entertainments,  and  has  been  brought  prominently  before 
the  public  upon  many  pleasant  occasions.  A  large  part  of 
the  work  preliminary  to  securing  a  separate  Street  Department 
for  the  North  Side  was  accomplished  in  this  club,  and  the 
first  commissioner  elected  to  preside  over  that  department  was 
a  president  of  the  club. 

The  Suburban  Club  is  one  of  Tremont's  foremost  clubs, 
one  of  its  special  features  being  its  baseball  team. 

The  Tremont  Club  is  pleasantly  located  on  Tremont 
Avenue,  and  has  a  large  and  growing  membership  ;  many  of 
the  most  prominent  residents  of  the  24th  Ward  are  among  its 
members. 

The  West  Morrisania  Club  was  organized  several  years 
ago  and  has  been  a  success  from  the  beginning.  Its  member- 
ship  comprises  all  the  best  class  of  young  men  in  the  section 
where  it  is  located,  and  many  pleasant  entertainments  have 
been  enjoyed  within  its  cosey  home. 

The  Fordham  Club,  located  on  High  Bridge  Road,  is  one 
of  the  few  which  has  built  and  owns  its  own  home  ;  from  its 
inception  to  the  present  time  it  has  been  a  recognized  factor 


216  The  Great  North  Side. 


in  every  project  for  the  improvement  of  tbe  great  North  Side. 
Every  clllbable  man  in  the  district  deems  it  a  necessity  to 
he  of  its  membership,  and  everything  which  can  be  famished 
by  a  club  in  the  way  of  rational  entertainment  for  its  mem- 
bers lias  been  supplied.  Its  annual  dinners,  always  held  on 
the  eve  of  Washington's  birthday,  are  notable  events  on  the 
North  Side  and  our  State  and  city  magnates  have  a  high  ap- 
preciation of  an  invitation  to  those  veritable  feasts. 

Its  grand,  colonial  club-house  is  by  far  the  finest  in  the 
district,  and  its  location  on  the  crest  of  a  stately  hill  is  unsur- 
passed for  beaut\  and  natural  advantages. 

The  Bedford  Park  Club  is  pleasantly  located  in  that 
suburban  paradise,  and  has  among  its  members  many  of  the 
happy  residents  of  that  locality,  as  well  as  other  parts  of  the 
district.  It  is  noted  chiefly  for  the  quiet  and  enjoyable 
amusements  which  it  furnishes  bo  its  members. 

This  entire  article  might  be  taken  up  with  an  enumeration 
and  description  of  the  clubs  of  the  North  Side,  but  the  fdfe- 
going  are  only  a  sample  of  the  many  located  in  our  midst,  and 
which  furnish  amusement  and  entertainment  to  those  who  ap- 
preciate club  life  in  its  best  aspects. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  even  mention  the  innumerable 
political  clubs,  church  clubs  and  associations,  bowling 
clubs,  citizens'  and  taxpayers'  clubs,  each  of  which  fills  a 
position  of  usefulness  and  profit  to  the  members  and  the  com- 
munity at  large,  and  their  influence  is  felt  in  the  improvement 
and  development  of  our  section. 

The  spiritual  needs  of  our  people  are  provided  for  by  the 
many  churches  of  every  denomination  which  are  to  be  found  on 
the  North  Side.  "While  we  cannot  boast  of  any  cathedrals, 
some  of  our  church  edifices  are  quite  imposing  and  most  of 
them  present  attractive  exteriors  and  inviting  interiors. 

Our  street-cleaning  system  is  a  part  of  the  great  depart 
ment  of  the  city,  and  without  going  into  details  it  will  suffice 
to  say  that  our  many  miles  of  paved  streets  are  cleaned  and 


2I7 


2 1 8 


The  Great  North  Side. 


kept  clean,  and  the  removal  of  ashes  and  waste  is  regular  and 
perfect. 

Recently  the  North  Side  has  had  added  to  its  attractions 
a  handsome  and  attractive  theatre. 

Our  territory  contains  one  of  the  great  defences  to  New 
York  Harbor.  The  works  at  Fort  Schuyler,  and  on  the 
opposite  shore  at  Willets  Point,  although  not  quite  up  to  date 
as  fortresses,  present  by  their  magnificent  torpedo  Byetem  an 
impassable  barrier  to  an  enemy  from  abroad,  and  can  easily 
be  maintained  as  a  safe  and  suit  protection  to  our  city  from 
the  eastward. 

Van  Cortland t  Park  parade  ground  is  the  largest  and  best 
laid  out  in  the  State,  and  furnishes  ample  and  convenient  ac- 
commodation for  the  maineuvres  and  drill  of  our  militia 
regiments,  troops  and  batteries. 

The  foregoing  are  submitted  as  a  very  crude  statement  of 
some  of  the  general  advantages  of  the  North  Side,  and  taken 
together  with  those  which  are  specifically  described  in  th^se 
pages,  it  must  be  conceded  that  we  can  offer  health,  free  air, 
and  every  convenience  which  can  be  desired  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  comforts  or  luxuries  of  life. 


Un/ve^s/ty  Post  Off /cs. 

Cedar  A  va 


2ig 


OPPORTUNITIES. 


If  Father  Knickerbocker  could  be  transported  from  his 
realms  of  eternal  bliss  to  the  top  of  one  of  our  sky-scraping 
buildings,  and  thus  be  given  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  now- 
great  City  of  New  York,  how  amusing  it  would  be  to  the  be- 
holder to  watch  his  countenance  change  expression — first  fear, 
then  wonder,  followed  by  admiration  at  the  wonderful  sight 
that  would  arrest  his  vision. 

Naturally,  his  eye  v  ould  first  look  at  the  grand  harbor. 
He  would  observe  that  where  once  was  a  small  barren  island 
in  his  day,  there  now  rises  in  mighty  grandeur  the  Statue  of 
Liberty,  with  its  iron  arm  and  hand  pointing  heavenward, 
holding  within  its  grasp  the  torch  enlightening  the  world. 

In  the  dim  distance,  looming  up  on  the  southern  horizon, 

lies  the  beautiful  Staten  Island,  with  its  thriving  manufacto- 

220 


The  Great  North  Side. 


221 


ries  and  palatial  residences.  Coming  up  through  the  Narrows, 
and  just  entering  the  Bay,  the  good  old  Father  beholds  one 
of  our  ocean  steamers  (greyhounds  of  the  deep)  majestically, 
yea,  triumphantly,  closing  a  less  than  six-day  trip  from  the 
Old  World. 

Turning  his  vision  a  little  eastward,  the  man  of  the  six- 
teenth century  now  beholds  the  great  city  of  Brooklyn,  con- 
nected with  its  mother  city  by  one  of  the  grandest  suspension 
bridges  in  the  world.  He  beholds  the  once  feared,  scarcely 
navigable  waters  of  the  East  River,  without  turbulence  or 
commotion  as  of  yore,  pass  placidly  and  smoothly  through 
the  once  almost  impassable  Hell  Gate,  now  made  easy  to  the 
navigator  by  the  skill  of  one  of  the  greatest  engineers  of  the 
nineteenth  century. 

With  astonishment,  the  old  Father,  as  he  turns  his  vision 
northward,  beholds  the  wonderful  growth  of  the  little  "  New 
Amsterdam."  The  great  brick  walls  of  the  city's  buildings 
are  not  stopped  by  the  "  Haarlem."  From  its  southern  side 
of  solid  blocks  of  buildings  it  has  leaped  across  the  beautiful 
little  Haarlem,  and  the  beholder  sees  a  city  of  grand  magnifi- 
cence on  the  other  side,  and  the  once  marshy  stream  now 
spanned  by  bridges  for  travel,  commerce,  and  pleasure. 

His  eye  suddenly  catches  sight  of  the  Chicago  express- 
train  of  sleeping  and  buffet,  vestibuled  coaches  drawn  by 
engine  999,  "  Empire  State  Express,"  which,  with  lightning- 
like rapidity,  is  speeding  on  its  eigh teen-hour  trip  between 
New  York  and  Chicago.  (The  locomotive ! — wonderful  piece 
of  mechanism,  that  can  thus  annihilate  time  and  space.) 

The  panorama  still  continues  to  pass  before  the  vision  of 
the  old  Father  in  knee-breeches.  He  now  beholds  the  solid 
granite  arches  of  the  "  High  Bridge  "  spanning  the  Haarlem, 
supporting  the  greatest  aqueduct  of  the  world,  conveying  the 
purest  water  to  the  millions  of  inhabitants  of  this,  long  since, 
the  largest  city  on  the  American  Continent. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  the  old  Father  beholds  with  amaze- 


H^BLE  HILL 


222 


The  Great  North  Side. 


223 


ment  the  wonderful  changes,  the  rapid  strides  taken  along  all 
the  lines  of  industry,  the  phenomenal  growth  of  the  once  small 
hamlet  that  covered  but  a  small  portion  of  the  island  north 
of  the  Battery  walls. 

When  we  consider  the  difference  between  "  then  "  and 
"  now,"  were  not  seeing  believing,  we  would  all  exclaim,  "  Im- 
possible ! " 

Two  huudred  and  seventy-eight  years  ago  the  site  of  New 
York  was  a  rocky,  wooded,  canoe-shaped  island,  thirteen  miles 
long. 

The  first  trading  charter  was  drawn  up  in  1615,  recording 
the  first  use  of  the  name  u  New  Amsterdam.1' 

On  January  1,  1618,  the  trading  charter  expired.  May  6, 
1626,  the  site  of  New  York  was  bought  by  Peter  Minuet, 
agent  for  the  West  Indian  Trading  Company,  for  $24.  In 
1695,  New  York  extended  to  Wall  Street,  May  6,  1697, 
charter  was  granted  for  building  Trinity  Church.  In  1699, 
corner-stone  was  laid  for  new  City  Hall,  on  the  present  site 
of  the  Custom  House,  by  William  Bradford. 

In  1693,  Oct.  16th,  the  first  newspaper  was  published.  It 
was  haif  a  sheet  of  foolscap  named  the  New  York  Gazette. 
Before  the  end  of  the  year  it  was  enlarged  to  a  full  sheet  of 
foolscap. 

In  1704  the  streets  were  paved  ten  feet  from  the  front  of 
the  houses,  the  centre  to  serve  as  gutter  and  sewer.  There 
were  shade  trees  along  Broadway. 

In  1728  the  first  map  of  New  York  City  was  engraved  by 
"  Bradford,"  the  founder  of  the  newspaper  mills. 

In  1730  a  new  charter  was  given  to  the  city,  with  increased 
power. 

In  1734  the  first  poor-house  was  built  on  the  Common 
(City  Hall  Park),  size  46  x  24,  and  two  stories. 

In  1786  the  first  directory  was  issued,  having  eighty-two 
pages  and  nine  hundred  names. 

In  1794  Duane  and  Reade  Streets  were  opened. 


23^  Ward  Bank 


The  Great  North  Side.  225 


In  1800  Gouverneur  Morris  built  his  mansion  in  old  Mor- 
risania. 

In  1805  the  question  of  common,  or  free,  schools  was  dis- 
cussed. Up  to  this  date  there  were  141  teachers  employed  in 
the  various  church  schools. 

In  1807,  April,  Col.  Henry  Rutgers  donated  the  first  site 
for  a  free  school  in  Henry  Street.  The  first  school  opened 
the  next  month  with  forty  scholars. 

The  City  presented  a  plot  on  Chatham  Square  for  a  brick 
building  for  five  hundred  pupils,  in  one  room.  The  building 
was  founded  Dec.  1,  1809. 

In  1807  there  were  nineteen  newspapers. 

In  1825  the  one  free  school  had  increased  to  six. 

In  1825  Samuel  Leggett  introduced  gas  below  Canal 
Street, 

In  1831  the  population  was  202,000.  In  1841  the  New 
Yoi'k  &  Harlem  R.  R.  was  built.  In  1842,  July  4th,  Croton 
water  was  introduced. 

It  seems  impossible  for  any  other  city  in  the  world  to 
show  records  of  such  a  growth,  within  the  limits  of  the  same 
time. 

From  1830  to  1860  (30  years  time)  the  growth  in  popula- 
tion more  than  quadrupled;  and  from  1860  to  1880  (just  20 
years)  the  net  increase  was  401,500.  From  1880  to  1892 
(twelve  years  time)  the  wonderful  addition  of  594,391  is  re- 
corded, making  the  grand  total  of  population  for  1892,  1,800,- 
891.  And  to-day  with  our  area  expanded  to  more  than  300 
square  miles  it  is  estimated  to  be  3,000,000. 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  city's  population  forced  the 
building  northward,  and  the  bonds  were  broken,  formerly 
confining  the  limits  of  the  city  below  42d  Street,  and  north- 
ward the  course  of  Empire  took  its  way. 

Haarlem,  a  city  of  itself,  sprang  up,  as  if  by  the  touch  of 
"  Aladdin's  Lamp." 

The  growth  was  not  confined  here.    Another  city  across 


Rl:SIDliNCLS  ON  SEDGWICK  AVE.,  MORRIS  HEIGHTS. 
Mk.  Perry  P,  Williams.  Mrs.  John  L.  Kirki  and. 


RESIDENCE  OF  HON.  WM.  W.  NILES,  BEDFORD  PARK. 
Built  1869.  photo-  b>'  W.  W.  Niles,  Jr. 

226 


The  Great  North  Side. 


227 


the  Haarlem,  with  grander,  larger  possibilities  has  also  been 
added,  and  shares  the  wonderful  prosperity  of  this  our 
"  Empire  City." 

In  the  future  the  growth  of  population  and  real  estate 
values  of  this  city  must  be  found  mainly  north  of  the  Harlem 
on  the  east,  and  north  of  138th  Street  on  the  west.  No- 
where in  the  w7ide  world  are  such  "  opportunities  "  offered  to 
the  manufacturer  as  are  now  presented  to  capitalists,  by  the 
"  North  Side." 

From  the  water  fronts  on  the  north  where  the  Bronx 
mingles  its  wTaters  with  that  of  the  Sound  on  the  east,  to 
where  the  Spuyten  Duyvil  is  absorbed  by  the  waters  of  the 
North  River  on  the  west,  there  are  miles  in  length  of  excellent 
water  fronts,  with  the  best  of  navigable  waters  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Rail 
Road  and  the  New  Haven,  and  Putnam  Rail  Roads  on  the 
other  hand. 

These  are  the  chief  routes  (Erie  Canal  included)  which 
comprise  the  vast  domestic  commercial  facilities  wmich  the 
North  Side  now  offers. 

Let  the  reader  reason  for  himself  a  moment,  and  consider 
that  if  the  population  of  the  city  was  increased  below  the 
Harlem  594,391  in  12  years,  what  must  it  be  in  the  next  10 
years,  with  these  advantages  offered  by  the  North  Side  (and 
here  is  where  the  growth  must  come)  ?  Can  we  not  readily 
suppose  that  the  growth  will  not  be  less  than  in  the  last 
decade.  Then  let  me  ask  when  could  there  be  a  better  time 
for  investments  for  factories,  homes,  etc.,  than  now  ? 

Already  has  the  emigration  of  some  of  our  public  institu- 
tions from  the  lower  portion  of  the  city  begun.  The  old 
time-honored  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  which  has 
outgrown  its  bounds  at  University  Place  &  8th  Street,  has 
erected  new  and  magnificent  buildings  on  its  capacious,  beauti- 
ful grounds  on  University  Heights,  overlooking  the  Harlem 
River. 


228 


The  Great  North  Side. 


For  healthful ne88,  pure  air,  and  picturesque  views,  tliis 
site  of  the  new  University  cannot  be  excelled  in  the  State. 

A  little  north  of  the  new  University,  stands  the  beauti- 
fully designed  "Academy  for  Ship  Builders"  erected  by 
W.  IT.  Webb,  the  philanthropist. 

Further  north  still,  where  the  Harlem  River  is  immerged 
into  that  of  the  Spuyten  Duyvil,  is  the  grand  ornamental  iron 
bridge  (spanning  the  new  government  canal)  built  at  a  cost  of 
about  $400,000. 

The  canal  was  formally  opened  on  the  17th  of  June,  181)5. 
It  connects  the  two  streams  already  mentioned  by  depth  of 
water  sufficient  to  float  an  ocean  steamer.  This  opens  a  <jreat 
artery  of  commerce  to  the  shippers  of  the  world. 

Our  boats  carrying  the  grain  of  the  vast  fields  of  the  Wesl 
can  enter  this  canal  at  the  Hudson  River  draw  bridge  and 
discharge  their  loads  of  cereals  to  the  elevators  that  will  he 
erected  along  the  hanks  of  the  Harlem.  Vessels  hound  from  any 
point  on  the  Hudson  to  the  Kastern  States  can  pass  through 
th  is  canal  to  the  "waters  of  the  Sound,  thereby  shortening  the 
distance  from  around  the  Battery  by  at  least  25  miles  or  more. 

The  great  shipping  interests  of  the  city  must  gradually 
be  drawn  this  way.  With  the  large  warehouses  and  grain 
elevators  that  are  already  in  embryo,  the  commercial  business 
with  foreign  ports  wriil  eventually  largely  be  done  from  the 
North  Side. 

There  have  been  about  50  fine  residences  erected  on  Mar- 
ble Hill  and  its  vicinity  recently,  all  over-looking  the  Canal, 
the  new  bridge,  and  the  Harlem  River,  and  the  building  still 
continues. 

Cannot  the  reader  already  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  new- 
business  era  that  must  be  established  on  the  North  Side  and 
take  advantage  of  opportunities  which  are  rarely  presented  to 
those  seeking  investments?  This  large  territory,  with  all 
these  facilities  for  business  and  residence  purposes  is  now 
awaiting  the  investor.  It  invites  you  to  come.  The  North 
Side  Board  of  Trade  invites  you  to  come. 


WEBB  ACADEMY  AND  HOME  FOR  SHIP-BUILDERS, 
SEDGWICK  AVE.,  FORDHAM  HEIGHTS. 


229 


RESIDENCE  OF  ISAAC  JOHNSON,  SPUYTEN  DUYVIL. 
230 


OUR  FUTURE. 


"  No  pent  up  Utica  contiacts  our  powers. 
For  the  whole  boundless  Continent  is  ours." 

I  have  been  asked  to  write  my  views  as  to  the  future  of 
the  Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards  of  the  City  of 
New  York.  The  attempt  to  describe  the  future  of  this 
portion  of  our  great  city  is  a  task  which  only  a  bold  man  would 
undertake  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  I  approach  it  with  a 
certain  amount  of  trepidation. 

That  those  who  read  this  article  may  better  comprehend 
the  scope  of  our  expectations  on  this  subject,  and  the  reasons 
for  them,  we  present  herewith  for  their  consideration  a  few 
undeniable  facts  that  exist  to-day. 

Old  New  York,  or  to  be  inore  exact  Manhattan  Island,  con- 
tains 12,576  acres  of  land.  Almost  all  of  this  land  is  already 
covered  with  buildings,  so  that  it  is  now  difficult  to  obtain  a 

large  tract  for  subdivision  and  improvement,  except  on  the  ex- 

231 


232 


The  Great  North  Side. 


treme  upper  end  of  the  island,  and  each  year  increases  this 
difficulty.  The  island  has  at  the  present  time  a  population 
of  about  1,800',000,  the  two  new  wards  150,000,  iu  all  1,950,000 
people. 

This  grand  city,  with  its  great  population,  has  one  of  the 
best  systems  in  the  world  f<>r  an  abundant  supply  of  pure 
water,  and  washed  as  it  is,  by  two  magnificent  arms  of  the  sea, 
possesses  most  perfect  drainage  to  relieve  us  twice  each  day 
of  our  refuse  sewerage. 

The  never-failing  supply  <>f  pure  water  which  by  its  own 
force, and  without  the  use  of  pumps  or  engines,  flows  into  our 
dwellings,  furnishes  to  every  person,  rich  or  poor,  all  the  water 
that  can  be  required  for  any  purpose.  This  abundant  supply 
is  now  being  largely  increased  ;  new  reservoirs  are  now  iu 
process  of  construction,  which  when  completed  will  furnish 
over  one  hundred  gallons  a  day  to  each  inhabitant  of  New 
York,  and  the  same  allowance  will  be  available  when  it  shall 
have  become  a  city  of  4,000,000  of  people.  Such  a  supply  as 
this  is  almost  unknown,  outside  of  the  United  States.  In  some 
cities  of  Europe  only  25  gallons  a  day  are  allowed  to  each 
person  and  in  the  most  favored  not  over  60  or  70  gallons  a 
day.  There  have  already  been  expended  not  far  from  $50,- 
000,000,  and  Sl(),000,0<M>  will  be  added  to  this  sum  in  perfect- 
ing our  water  supply. 

Prior  to  1884,  we  were  behind  many  cities  of  Europe,  and. 
in  fact,  of  our  own  country,  in  the  number  of  acres  devoted  to 
park  purposes.  There  was  Central  Park,  containing  900  acres, 
which  was,  and  still  is,  the  most  beautiful  and  well-kept  park 
in  the  world,  and  we  had  a  number  of  others,  but  all  small. 
Since  1884,  there  has  been  a  most  decided  advance  in  this 
matter  and  to-day  we  possess  not  far  from  7000  acres  set  apart 
forever  as  public  pleasure  grounds  of  our  citizens.  These 
parks  are  well  distributed  and  meet  the  requirements  of  all. 

Besides  our  parks,  our  people  have  the  advantage  of  our 
magnificent  river  fronts  on  both  the  North  aud  East  Rivei  b. 


1st  Reformed  Church  KimmocEsb 

^  NEAR  JEROME.  AVE. 


233 


234 


The  Great  North  Side. 


These  are  many  miles  in  extent  and  are  a  never-failing,  never- 
ending  source  of  pleasure  and  comfort  to  the  toiling  masses 
who  inhabit  the  east  and  west  sides  of  our  metropolis. 

The  Fire  Department  of  our  city  has  few,  if  any,  equals, 
and  it  has  always  been  managed  with  great  care  and  efficiency. 

Our  public  charities  are  most  ample  and  liberal  in  their 
scope,  and  while  we  cannot  assert  that  they  are  perfect,  we  do 
claim  that  they  compare  favorably  with  those  of  any  city  in 
the  world.  No  city  treats  its  poor  and  infirm  with  greater 
generosity. 

Our  private  charities,  which  are  supported  almost  wholly 
by  the  beneficence  of  our  citizens,  with  very  little  aid  from 
the  treasury  of  the  city,  we  are  justly  proud  of.  Our  hos- 
pitals are  numerous  and  are  especially  adapted  for  the  various 
diseases  with  which  humanity  is  afflicted.  They  are  all  liber- 
ally equipped  with  every  appliance  that  modern  ingenuity 
has  invented  for  the  amelioration  of  suffering  man  or  woman. 
The  many  institutions  for  the  care  of  the  blind,  the  insane,  the 
orphaned,  the  friendless,  and  the  crippled,  all  supported  by 
private  beneficence,  are  monuments  to  the  Christian  liberality 
of  the  citizens  of  our  city. 

Our  churches  deserve  especial  mention.  Few  cities  in  the 
world  can  boast  of  finei  church  edifices.  Some  are  beautiful 
examples  of  architecture — such  for  instance  as  "  Trinity," 
"Grace,"  "St.  Bartholomew's,"  and  "St.  Patrick's  Cathedral." 

AVhen  the  Cathedral  of  "St.  John,"  now  being  erected,  is 
finished,  we  shall  equal  most  of  the  cities  of  the  world  and  be 
surpassed  by  none  in  this  respect. 

Our  public  schools  are  most  excellent  and  furnish  accom- 
modation for  some  125,000  children.  Every  year  our  school 
facilities  are  increased,  and  our  old  school-houses  made  more 
in  accord  with  the  demands  of  the  day,  so  that  every  child 
within  our  city  has,  free  of  cost,  the  advantage  of  a  first-class 
education. 

Columbia  College  whose  future  is  now  doubly  sure  by  the 


CHRIST  CHURCH.  RIVERDALE  AND  ALAMO  AVES. 


ST.  PAUL'S  P.  E.  CHURCH,  WASHINGTON  AVE.  AND  ST.  PAUL'S  PL. 


235 


230  The  Great  North  Side. 


magnificent  benefaction  of  its  President;  "The  University  of 
New  York,"  with  its  forty  acres  of  land  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  city,  "St.  John's  College  "  at  Fordbam,  the  "  College  of  the 
City  of  New  York,"  the  "Normal  College,"  the  "  Womens' 
College,"  and  the  "Barnard/1  together  with  the  many  first- 
clasa  private  schools  for  both  sexes,  give  New  York  a  most 
excellent  position  as  an  educational  centre  almost  equalling 
many  of  the  seats  of  learning  in  Europe. 

Among  the  many  improvements  of  which  we  can  boast, 
are  the  numerous  bridges  which  span  the  East  and  Harlem 
Rivera.  The  East  River  Bridge  which  cost  some  $18,000,000, 
is  a  marvel  of  beauty  and  strength,  and  the  same  can  be  said 
of  Iliirh  Bridge,  Central  Bridge,  and  Washington  Bridge. 

One  of  the  great  features  of  our  city,  one  that  lias  attracted, 
and  will  always  attract,  strangers  to  it  is  our  clubs.  The 
clubs  of  New  York  are  among  the  best  in  the  world.  They 
are  the  homes  of  the  proverbially  hospitable  and  generous. 

Almost  every  sort  of  club  life  is  found  among  us,  and  al- 
most every  element  of  this  community  has  its  club  or  clubs. 
Whatever  club  speciality  may  be  desired  can  be  found.  The 
chief  cities  of  the  world  may  well  envy  us  in  this  respect. 

In  matters  of  art  we  have  many  advantages. 

Our  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  is  fast  becoming  one  of 
the  finest  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  Considering 
the  youth  of  this  institution,  its  growth  has  been  remarkable. 
The  fact  that  it  is,  and  has  been  from  its  beginning,  carried  on 
by  private  liberality,  and  that  its  vast  accumulations  of  mil- 
lions of  dollars1  worth  |f  precious  art  work  are  entirely  the 
result  of  private  donations,  speaks  volumes  in  favor  of  the 
generosity  of  our  people. 

The  Museum  of  Natural  History  is  another  institution 
worthy  of  all  praise,  and  as  an  educational  factor,  is  a  most 
valuable  adjunct  to  our  schools  and  colleges. 

The  Historical  Society  is  a  vast  store-house  of  most  valu- 
able historical  information.     The  Lenox  Library  has  some  of 


238  The  Great  North  Side. 


the  most  valuable  books  to  be  found  in  the  world.  The  Astor 
Library  is  full  of  books  of  rare  value.  The  Mercantile  Library 
and  the  Free  Circulating  Libraries  offer  advantages  to  the 
student  in  whatever  line  he  or  she  may  be  especially  inter- 
ested. 

New  York  has  been  behind  other  cities  in  not  having  a 
Zoological  Garden  commensurate  with  its  wants,  and  in  hav- 
ing no  Aquarium  or  Botanical  Garden,  but  in  tliis  matter  we 
are  now  placing  ourselves  alongside  the  best  equipped  cities 
of  the  world.  This  Aquarium  w  ill  be  forever  free  to  the  pub- 
lic. Already  #250,000  has  been  subscribed  by  a  few  gener- 
ous, public-spirited  people  towards  a  fund  to  establish  a 
Botanical  Garden.  This  with  #250,000  and  250  acres  of  land 
in  Bronx  Park  which  the  city  will  contribute  makes  a  Botani- 
cal Garden  a  certainty  in  the  very  near  future. 

A  law  has  recently  been  enacted  by  the  Legislature  estab- 
lishing a  Zoological  Garden  in  the  city  above  1 55th  Street. 
The  gentlemen  connected  with  this  enterprise,  are  such  as  will 
make  it  certain, -that  very  soon  we  shall  be  in  possession  of  one 
of  the  finest  Zoological  Gardens  in  the  world. 

With  such  a  city  as  we  have  to-day  on  the  Island  of  Man- 
hattan, what  may  we  nol  daim  in  the  future  for  the  new  part 
above  the  Harlem.  If  the  old  city  which  had  a  population  of 
about  300,000  in  1840,  and  which  in  50  years  up  to  1890,  had 
increased  to  1,600,000,  an  increase  obtained  without  the  aid  of 
such  forces,  as  by  the  aggregation  of  nearly  3,000,000  people 
within  a  radius  of  10  miles,  are  now  in  operation  among  us, 
what  may  we  not  claim,  and  justly  claim,  too,  for  our  wards  in 
the  future  ? 

The  new  wards  contain  12,317  acres,1  almost  as  many 
acres  as  Manhattan  Island.  They  are  washed  on  the  west  by 
the  majestic  Hudson,  on  the  east  by  the  East  River  and  Long 
Island  Sound  with  the  Harlem  River  between,  thus  giving  the 
two  wards  an  immense  water  front.     Two  or  three  ridges  of 

1  Since  increased  to  about  26,800  acres. 


239 


The  Great  North  Side. 


land  run  nearly  north  and  south,  which  make  it  possible  to 
have  the  most  perfect  system  of  drainage  for  all  this  great  ter- 
ritory; hence,  if  it  should  be  that  we  ever  have  a  population 
of  even  2,000,000  the  two  subjects,  of  water  supply  and  per- 
fect drainage  will  have  been  already  provided  for.  The  land 
on  these  ridges  lies  exceedingly  well  for  residential  purposes, 
commanding,  as  it  does,  magnificent  views  of  both  landscape 
and  water.  The  low  lands  on  and  near  the  banks  of  the  Hud- 
son, the  East,  and  the  Harlem  Rivers,  and  on  the  Sound,  offer 
most  valuable  sites  for  business  of  all  kinds,  and  especially  for 
manufacturing  purposes,  not  only  so  because  of  the  low  prices 
now  ruling  as  compared  w  ith  those  on  the  Island,  but  because 
of  their  accessibility  by  both  water  and  rail  from  all  parts  of 
the  world.  The  low  price  of  land  in  these  two  wards  will 
certainly  make  this  part  of  our  city,  most  desirable  for  manu- 
facturing establishments,  and  make  it  a  centre  for  many  impor- 
tant industries. 

A\  nen  we  reflect  upon  what  we  possess  to-day  in  various 
ways,  in  our  two  wards,  coupled  with  the  magnificent  Island 
of  Manhattan,  and  all  it  contains,  why  are  we  not  equipped 
with  every  essential  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  delightful  and 
desirable  cities  in  the  world  to  live  in,  and  to  do  business  in  ? 
Why  are  we  not  justified  in  the  belief,  that  the  future  of  our 
two  wards  is  most  brilliant  and  encouraging? 

Is  it  saying  too  much,  or  claiming  too  much,  to  claim  that 
our  population  of  to-day  of  150,000,  will  be  200,000  by  1900? 

Is  it  claiming  too  much  to  predict  that  a  child  born  in 
1895,  will,  if  he  lives  to  the  age  of  70  years  see  a  population 
of  1,500,000  in  our  wards? 

Is  it  too  much  to  claim,  even  if  we  do  not  annex  any  ad- 
ditional territory  that  the  City  of  New  York,  will  in  70  years 
contain  not  far  from  6,000,000  of  people  ? 

If  we  shall  in  the  future  make  a  Greater  New  York,  why 
may  we  not  claim  a  population  of  8,000,000  or  9,000,000  by 
1965? 


241 


242  The  Great  North  Side. 

In  a  word,  what  may  we  New  Yorkers  not  claim  for  our 
beautiful  city,  with  such  a  heritage  as  we  have  to-day  ! 

Let  us  all  determine  that  no  effort  shall  be  wanting  on 
our  part,  to  do  whatever  we  can  do,  to  make  it  the  best  gov- 
erned, most  delightful,  and  favorite  city  of  the  world,  for  the 
students,  the  man  of  letters,  the  lover  of  art,  the  man  of  leis- 
ure, the  business  man,  and  the  laborer,  to  live  in. 


243 


AN  INVITATION. 


After  a  busy  life  of  toil,  favored  with  some  degree  of  suc- 
cess, and  having  reached  that  time  in  life,  when  the  thoughts 
of  home  and  home  comforts  should  be  recognized  and  obeyed, 
I  thought  there  was  no  better  spot  in  this  fair  city  of  ours  to 
enjoy  the  same  than  on  that  lofty  peak  on  Morris  Heights, 
which  so  enchanted  me  by  its  topographical  situation  that  I 
made  it  my  home.  I  realized  for  the  first  time,  that  it  was 
possible  in  this  city  of  ours,  to  enjoy  in  some  measure,  the 
home  life  of  my  early  days,  and  I  thought  that  here  I  could 
find  rest  and  the  realization  of  the  dreams  of  my  toil.  But  it 
was  not  to  be  my  lot,  for  I  had  not  pitched  my  camping  tent 
there  for  more  than  the  rising  and  setting  of  two  moons,  when 
my  friends  and  neighbors  asked  me  to  attend  a  meeting  to 
organize  the  "  North  Side  Board  of  Trade,"  and  from  that 

244 


245 


246  The  Great  North  Side. 

moment  until  the  present,  that  happy  lot  of  retirement  which 
I  Lad  pictured  to  myself,  has  never  been  realized  ;  for  in  no 
time  in  my  life  have  I  given  more  thought  or  study  to  the 
welfare  and  growth  of  our  great  city  than  from  that  period  to 
the  present. 

It  opened  up  to  me  the  possibilities  which  now  occupy 
every  active  mind,  and  are  worthy  of  our  best  thoughts  as  ex- 
pressed in  the  term  "  Greater  New  York  "  and  all  that  goes 
to  make  it  such. 

Every  fair  minded  student  of  the  progress  of  our  city  will 
concede  that  there  is  but  one  way  in  which  to  accomplish  this 
great  end,  and  that  is,  in  the  building  up  of  all  the  territory 
that  she  now  owns. 

The  great  cities  of  the  past  as  well  as  of  the  present  have 
had  much  to  boast  of  as  to  situation,  on  which  to  lay  claim  to 
their  Divine  right  to  pre-eminence:  but  in  what  respect  can 
any  of  them  boast  of  greater  natural  advantages  than  are  pos- 
sessed by  New  York,  which  stands  second  to  none  in  the  great 
possibilities  which  are  hers  of  becoming  the  greatest  city  in 
the  world. 

Surrounded  by  a  tide  which  ebbs  and  flows  twice  in 
twenty-four  hours,  with  a  depth  of  water  that  any  harbor  in 
the  world  might  covet ;  a  rock-bound  coast,  that  only  a  Di- 
vine Architect  could  design  and  construct,  salt  water  on  all 
sides  ever  ready  to  supply  that  sanitary  need  of  a  great  city, 
is  it  any  wonder  that  a  New  Yorker  may  boast,  and  does 
boast  of  this  fail1  city  of  ours '(  Who  can  foretell  her  great- 
ness ?    AVho  can  foretell  her  worth,  and  who  her  power  ? 

If  she  would  grow  in  ail  the  Divine  rights  of  her  majestic 
situation,  must  she  not  grow  northward  ?  And  has  not  science 
and  skill,  and  constructive  genius  made  this  an  easy  problem 
through  the  elevated  road,  the  trolley  system,  the  telephone 
and  many  other  arts  and  improvements  that  are  ours  to  make 
use  of  ? 

With  these  aids  to  a  more  rational  development  there 


248 


The  Great  North  Side. 


should  be  no  centralization  of  growth  in  any  pari  of  our  city 
compelling  it  to  do  more  than  its  just  share. 

Whence  conies  the  need  of  the  tall  sky-scraper  and  wli\ 

should  the  earth  groan  under  such  an  unjust  burden?  Win 
should  one  lot  of  ground  do  the  work  of  three  lots,  thereby 
shutting  the  sunlight  from  the  streets  and  avenues  thai  sur- 
round it,  leaving  the  air  dead  and  impure]  Has  not  the 
pedestrian  certain  tights  that  must  be  respected  i  Musi  he 
be  forced  by  the  monster  greed  to  breathe  an  air  that  sunlight 
never  touches  I 

Now  taking  all  these  facts  into  consideration,  can  we  not 
with  just  propriety  invite  the  growth  of  our  city  to  come 
northward  and  you  who  ate  not  yet  one  of  US  to  share  a  part 
of  its  many  advantages?  For  well  might  it  be  said,  with 
knob  and  crest,  ravine  and  plain,  we  have  here  the  site  for 
workshop,  office,  home,  and  mansion,  on  this  our  fail-  domain. 

beginning  on  the  east,  have  we  no!  the  finest  harbor  in 
our  country,  sufficient  for  all  our  business  demands?  And  on 
the  west  by  the  Harlem  ship-canal  shall  we  not  share  a  like 
advantage  % 

From  our  many  peaks  and  heights  the  sites  of  colleges 
and  institutional  homes,  bear  evidence  of  the  wise  judgment 
of  their  founders.  The  many  cottage  homes  in  our  midst,  of 
rare  design  and  skill,  be.*r  evidence  of  the  taste  and  refine- 
ment of  our  population. 

The  attendance  at  and  respect  for  the  church,  bear  evi^ 
deuce  of  our  moral  worth  and  the  respect  we  have  for  the 
Sabbath  ;  the  attendance  in  our  schools  and  seminaries  is  liv- 
ing proof  of  the  intelligent  >vorth  of  our  community. 

Now  possessing  all  these  and  many  other  possibilities  for 
the  making  of  a  great  city  of  homes,  can  we  not  say  to  you, 
come  and  be  one  of  us,  buy  and  build  with  us,  and  share  with 
us  all  that  is  ours  and  may  be  yours  ? 


249 


ADDENDA. 


i 


THE  GROWTH  OF  THE  NORTH  SIDE. 


The  remarkable  development  of  the  North  Side,  especially 
during  the  past  seven  years,  has  attracted  general  attention. 

What  will  be  the  growth  of  this  portion  of  our  City  in  the 
future  ? 

If  I  were  to  answer  this  question  without  any  preliminary 
statement  of  the  basis  of  historic  facts  upon  which  I  rest  my 
forecast,  pessimistic  persons,  at  least,  would  think  me  over- 
sanguine. 

Let  us  look,  then,  at  what  has  been  accomplished  during 
the  past  few  years  in  this  part  of  the  City.  First  let  us  look 
at  the  increase  in  population. 

The  following  table  will  show  it : 


YEAR.  POPULATION. 

I860   17,000 

1865   20,641 

1870   28,981 

1875  (one  year  after  annexation)   36,191 

1880   42,898 

1890  (United  States  Census)   74,085 

1890  (Police  Census)   81,255 

1892  (State  Census)   86,757 

1897  (estimated)  200,000 


Since  1892  there  has  not  been  any  official  census.  In  1895 
the  territory  east  of  the  Bronx  was  annexed  to  the  City  and 
made  a  part  of  the  Twenty-fourth  W ard. 

Taking,  then,  the  recent  registration  of  voters  as  a  basis  of 
calculation,  it  is  reasonable  to  estimate  that  the  present  popu- 
lation of  the  Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards  is  about 

iii 


iv 


The  Great  North  Side. 


200,000  as  above  stated.  This  shows  an  increase  of  about 
three  hundred  and  >i\ty -five  per  cent,  in  the  last  seventeen 
years,  and  an  increase  of  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  per 
cent,  in  the  last  seven  years. 

The  greater  part  of  this  wonderful  increase  in  population 
has  taken  place  since  the  acquisition  of  our  beautiful  parks 
and  parkway-,  the  establishment  of  our  Department  of  Street 
Improvements,  the  substitution  of  electricity  for  animal  power 
in  the  operation  of  our  street  cars,  and  the  cheapening  of  trans- 
portation by  the  compulsory  fixing  of  a  single  five-cent  fare  on 
the  elevated  railroad  from  the  Battery  to  Tremont. 

If  the  increase  continues  proportionately  in  only  the  same 
ratio  as  in  the  recent  past,  the  population  of  the  section  of  the 
city  above  the  Harlem  River  should,  in  1  (J10,  be  about  330,000. 
In  1920  it  should  be  C.immkmi.  In  p.»:;o  it  may  reasonably  be 
expected  to  be  1,300,000. 

It  is  beyond  question  that  this  growth  will  be  attained  if 
additional  rapid  transit  railroads  are  constructed  as  is  now 
proposed. 

The  foregoing  estimates  of  the  future  population  of  the 
23d  and  2-ith  Wards  do  not  seem  so  strange  when  we  recall 
the  fact  that  there  are  people  now  living  and  who  have  not 
yet  reached  the  proverbial  "three  score  years  and  ten  n  who 
were  born  at  a  time  when  Manhattan  Island  contained  fewer 
inhabitants  than  there  are  now  in  the  North  Side.  The  fact 
should  also  be  realized  that  in  point  of  population  the  23d  and 
24th  Wards  already  constitute  the  fourth  city  in  the  State, 
leaving  out  New  York  of  course,  and  that  of  the  sixty  counties 
in  our  State,  this  section  contains  more  inhabitants  than  any 
one  except  Erie,  Kings,  Monroe,  and  New  York. 

With  additional  rapid  transit  to  assist  in  the  development 
of  the  North  Side,  it  will  be  but  a  few  years,  comparatively, 
until  this  section  will  rank  second  in  population  with  the  ag- 
gregation of  humanity  on  Manhattan  Island. 

It  need  not  be  feared  that  there  is  not  room  enough  in  this 


The  Great  North  Side. 


V 


territory  for  such  a  large  population.  This  portion  of  the 
city  is  double  the  size  of  that  below  the  Harlem  River.  If 
two  millions  of  people  can  be  accommodated  on  Manhattan 
Island,  it  is  certain  that  there  is  room  for  a  million  and  a  half 
in  twice  as  much  space. 

Another  evidence  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the  North  Side 
is  seen  in  the  enormous  increase  in  the  number  of  passengers 
carried  on  the  surface  and  elevated  railroads  now  operated  in 
this  section  of  the  city. 

Up  to  the  time  the  modern  trolley-cars  took  the  place  of 
the  horse-cars  of  the  old,  so-called  "  Huckleberry  line,"  the  latter 
never  carried  more  than  3,500,000  passengers  in  any  year. 
The  first  year  the  trolley-cars  were  in  operation,  (1893),  they 
carried  6,500,000  passengers.  The  increase  has  gone  on  stead- 
ily ever  since,  until  now  it  has  reached  a  point  where  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  find  out  just  what  it  is. 

The  Suburban  Branch  of  the  elevated  railroad  was  opened 
in  1886.  In  that  year  it  carried  only  160,000  passengers. 
The  next  year  it  carried  856,383  passengers.  The  five-cent  fare 
bill  went  into  operation  in  the  spring  of  1894.  The  preced- 
ing year,  1893,  the  road  carried  5,867,848  passengers  under 
the  double  fare  system.  In  the  year  ending  Sept.  30,  1897, 
the  elevated  road  carried  on  the  Suburban  Branch  11,145,134 
passengers.  This  number  is  nearly  2,000,000  more  than  were 
carried  by  the  elevated  railroads  on  Manhattan  Island  in  the 
year  1878.  It  is  a  fact  also  that  the  Suburban  Branch  was  the 
only  line  of  the  Manhattan  Elevated  System  that  in  1897 
showed  an  increase  in  its  passenger  travel  over  the  preceding 
year. 

These  figures  clearly  demonstrate  that  it  is  hardly  possible 
to  lay  too  much  stress  upon  the  importance  of  ample  and 
cheap  transportation  in  promoting  the  growth  of  the  North 
Side.  They  also  show  that  additional  rapid  transit  railroads 
can  at  once  be  made  profitable.  The  territory  can  easily 
accommodate  a  population  ten  or  even  fifteen  times  as  great 
as  it  has  at  present. 


vi 


The  (  ,1  rat  North  Side. 


The  wonderful  growth  of  the  North  Side  is  also  shown  in 
the  building  operations  of  the  past  few  years.  Observe  the 
progress  recorded  in  the  following  tabulated  statement,  taken 
from  the  official  records  of  the  number  of  building  plans  filed 
and  the  estimated  cost  of  new  buildings  year  by  year  in  the 
Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards. 


i  <';ir. 

XT 

No.  of  Plans. 

Estimated  <  ost, 

Average  ('ost. 

1  K.Kl 

>.».»>.(.> 

1882  

843 

L,409,913 

4,110 

lss:; 

406 

1 .  128,967 

3,529 

1884  

635 

L,688,736 

2,680 

r>s6 

L  927.274 

3,288 

1886  

703 

2,407,421 

3,424 

1887  

1033 

4,733,305 

4,681 

1888  

s.si; 

3,826,788 

4,819 

SSi) 

4,840,337 

5,441 

1890  

MM) 

4,208,861 

6,261 

1891  

765 

3,746,048 

4.900 

1892  

S57 

5,092,823 

5,942 

698 

3,285,676 

4.722- 

1894  

4,809,328 

5,100 

1895  

1418 

8,148,459 

5,746 

1896  

L617 

Ll,009,625 

6,808 

1897*  

1448 

11,621,600 

8,640 

It  will  be  seen  fiom  these  figures  that  during  the  seven 
years  preceding  the  establishment  of  the  Department  of  Street 
Improvements  of  the  Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards, 
that  is,  from  1884  to  1891,  the  total  number  of  building  plans 
filed  was  5532,  the  total  estimated  cost  of  new  buildings  was 
$23,582,722,  and  the  average  cost  of  each  building  was  §4127. 
During  the  succeeding  six  years  and  eleven  months,  that  is, 
from  1891  to  December  1,  1897,  the  total  number  of  building 
plans  filed  was  7746  or  forty  per  cent,  greater,  the  total  esti- 
mate and  cost  of  new  buildings  was  §47,713,459,  or  more  than 


*  For  11  months  only. 


The  Great  North  Side. 


Vll 


one  hundred  per  cent,  greater,  and  the  average  cost  of  each 
building  was  §5965,  or  about  forty-live  per  cent,  greater. 

These  results  are  extraordinary,  when  we  consider  the 
"  hard  times "  which  have  prevailed  during  the  past  four 
years. 

A  still  further  evidence  of  the  phenomenal  growth  of  this 
section  of  the  city  is  demonstrated  by  the  increase  in  the  tax- 
able value  of  real  estate. 

In  1874,  when  the  old  towns  of  Morrisania,  West  Farms, 
and  Kingsbridge  were  annexed  to  the  City  of  New  York,  the 
total  assessed  value  of  the  real  estate  amounted  to  about  $23,- 
000,000.  In  1890,  the  year  preceding  the  establishment  of 
the  Department  of  Street  Improvements,  it  was  844,396,534. 
It  is  now  about  si 00,000,000.  If  our  growth  continues  for 
the  next  ten  years  in  the  same  ratio  as  at  present,  the  taxable 
value  of  the  real  estate  of  the  Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth 
Wards  will  amount  to  nearly  §300,000,000. 

These  are  some  of  the  evidences  of  the  growth  of  the  North 
Side.  From  them  we  may  fairly  judge  the  future.  On  New 
Years  day  we  become  the  Borough  of  the  Bronx — in  point  of 
population  the  third  largest  political  subdivision  of  Greater 
New  York.  We  were  never  before  better  prepared  to  meet 
the  exigencies  of  the  situation  than  at  present.  We  occupy  a 
superb  position  geographically  between  the  Hudson  and  the 
Sound.  The  section  is  renowned  for  its  salubrity  and  mag- 
nificent scenery.  Our  principal  streets  and  avenues  are 
sewered,  paved,  and  asphalted.  An  admirable  sewerage  sys- 
tem is  general,  and  consequently  a  large  expanse  is  ready  for 
immediate  building  and  the  comfortable  occupancy  of  homes. 
Our  educational  advantages  are  unsurpassed.  Our  public 
parks  are  among  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world.  Our  manu- 
facturing and  business  enterprises  are  extensive  and  pros- 
perous. Our  new  bridges  across  the  Harlem  and  the  Bronx 
are  all  under  way.  The  Grand  Concourse  has  been  acquired 
and  the  preliminary  work  begun.    Liberal  appropriations  for 


viii 


The  Great  North  Side. 


our  public  works  Lave  been  made.  In  every  respect  we  are 
in  a  better  position  than  ever  before  to  invite  population  and 
business.  Besides,  the  section  is  now  better  known,  better 
appreciated,  and  more  attractive  in  every  way,  and  is  in  a 
condition  to  afford  to  the  overcrowded  inhabitants  of  the 
lower  wards  facilities  for  obtaining  such  healthful,  cheerful, 
economical,  and  easily  accessible  homes  as  they  have  never 
before  known. 

James  L.  Wells. 


THE  NORTH  SIDE  BOARD  OF  TRADE. 


Not  the  least  of  the  many  possessions  of  the  Borough  of 
the  Bronx  which  contribute  to  its  progress  is  its  organization 
of  public-spirited  citizens,  the  North  Side  Board  of  Trade. 

Organized  on  the  6th  day  of  March,  1894,  by  the  charac- 
ter, energy,  and  well-directed  efforts' of  its  membership,  it  has 
contributed  immeasurably  to  the  wonderful  development  which 
has  taken  place  in  the  section  of  the  City  north  of  the  Harlem 
in  the  last  few  years. 

The  North  Side  Board  of  Trade  aims  to  diffuse  informa- 
tion as  to  this  Borough's  many  advantages  as  a  business  and 
commercial  centre,  as  well  as  a  district  of  homes ;  to  attract 
capital,  manufacturing  interests,  and  desirable  residents;  to 
promote  the  development  and  patronage  of  local  business  en- 
terprise ;  to  advance  public  improvements ;  and  to  encourage 
public  spirit  and  a  local  community  feeling. 

The  Board  occupies  a  three  story  and  basement  brick 
building  at  No.  278  Alexander  Avenue  near  139th  Street 
where  the  Secretary  may  be  seen  day  or  evening,  and  where 
information  concerning  this  Borough  will  be  cheerfully  given. 

Its  organizer  was  Albert  E.  Davis.  The  Committee  of 
Seven,  who  issued  the  call  for  permanent  organization,  con- 
sisted of  John  C.  De  La  Vergne,  Jas.  L.  Wells,  William  R. 
Beal,  Clement  Gould,  Albert  E.  Davis,  Matthew  Anderson, 
John  De  Hart,  and  John  W.  Hotaling.  Two  of  these,  Messrs. 
De  La  Vergne  and  Gould,  have  since  died.  Its  first  president 
was  John  C.  De  La  Vergne.  Its  present  officers  and  com- 
mitteemen are  as  follows  : 

ix 


The  Great  North  Side. 


OFFICERS. 


President,  JAMES  L.  WELLS 
Secretary,  Otho  G.  Angle.  Treasurer,  Chas.  W.  Bocart 

VICE-PRESIDENTS  : 
L'irst  Vice-President,  Fordham  Morris. 
Ernest  Hall,  Henry  A.  Gumbleton,     Henry  Lewis  Morris, 

Seward  Baker,  Jordan  L.  Mott, 

John  Claflin,  De  Witt  C.  Overbaugh, 


William  R.  Beal, 
Albert  E.  Davis. 


James  L.  Wells, 
Albert  E.  Davis, 
Olin  J.  Stephens, 
Dr.  S.  H.  Mcllroy, 
Wm.  R.  Beal, 
J.  C.  Julius  Langbein, 
Chas.  W,  Bogart, 


E  X  EC  U  T I V  E  COM  M I T  T  E  E 

Louis  Eickwort, 
I  lenry  L.  School, 
Henry  A.  Gumbleton, 
John  De  Hart, 
Louis  A.  Risse, 
Sam'l  MacMillan, 
Martin  Walter, 


Matthew  Anderson, 
Ernest  Hall, 
John  H.  Knoeppel, 
Chas.  W.  Stoughton, 
J.  Homer  Hildreth, 
De  WittC.  Overbaugh, 
Lord  ham  Morris. 


FINANCE  COMMITTEE. 

D.  C.  Overbaugh, 

Wm.  R.  Beal, 

A.  L.  Lowenstein. 

LITERATURE  &  PUBLICATION. 

Albert  E.  Davis, 
Louis  A.  Risse, 
A.  E.  Lickman. 

LEGISLATION. 

J.  C.  Julius  Langbein, 

Ernest  Hall, 

J.  Homer  Hildreth. 

PARKS  AND  PARKWAYS. 

Chas.  W.  Stoughton, 
Peter  J.  Stuyvesant, 
John  H.  Scardefield. 

RAILROAD  EXTENSION 
AND  RAPID  TRANSIT. 

John  De  Hart, 
Henry  A.  Gumbleton, 
J.  A.  Goulden. 


ST AN  PINO  COM M  ITT  E E S 
MEMBERSHIP. 

C.  H.  Stonebridge, 
Richard  H.  Deeves, 
Robert  Wallace. 

COMMERCE  &  WATERWAYS. 

Fordham  Morris, 
Olin  J.  Stephens, 
John  G.  Borgstede. 

ARBITRATION. 

Peter  T-  Stuyvesant, 
W  .i.  H.  Zeltner, 
Chas.  H.  Cronin. 

TAXES  AND  ASSESSMENTS. 

John  H.  Knoeppel, 
Anthony  McOwen, 
Edward  Rowell. 

POLICE,  FIRE  PROTECTION, 
AND  PUBLIC  HEALTH. 

Dr.  S.  H.  Mcllroy, 
Dr.  I.  C.  Jones, 
Dr.  Emil  Heuel. 

BRIDGES. 

Wm.  R.  Beal, 
Seward  Baker, 
Peter  J.  Stuyvesant. 


TRANSPORTATION. 

Franklin  A.  Wilcox, 
William  Ebling, 
Henry  L.  School. 

REAL  ESTATE. 

J.  Clarence  Davies, 
Martin  Walter, 
Chas.  M.  Kaeppel. 

HOUSE  &  ENTERTAINMENT. 

Matthew  Anderson, 
Arthur  L.  Sturz, 
John  J.  Fox. 

STREET  OPENINGS  &  SEWERS. 

Henry  A.  Gumbleton, 

Robert  Wallace, 

J.  C.  Julius  Langbein. 

EDUCATION. 

Louis  Eickwort, 
Morgan  Washburn, 
E.  D.  Clark. 


The  Great  North  Side. 


xi 


Its  membership  is  as  follows,  those  in  heavy  type  being 
charter  members : 


MEMBERS. 


Adams,  Chas.  L.,  Lumber 
Amory,  John  J.,  Naphtha  Launches 
Amundson,  John  A.,  Lawyer  . 
Anderson,  Matthew,  Real  Estate 
Angle,  O.  G  ,  Secretary 
Anderton,  Ralph  L.,  Metals  . 


Gas 


M 


Baron,  Louis,  Secretary  . 
Beal,  Wm.  R.,  Pres't  Central  Union 
Bell,  Chas.  T.,  . 
Bertine,  Edward  D.,  Builder  . 
Birchall,  Wm.  H.,  Dyer,  . 
Bogart,  Chas.  W.,  Bank  President 
Bolton,  Thos.,  Jr.,  Dyer  . 
Borgstede,  John  G.,  Real  Estate 
Brady,  John  J.,  Lawyer  . 
Briggs,  Josiah  A.,  Civil  Engineer 
Brown,  Wm.  Reynolds,  President  ] 
Brugman,  A.  F.,  Physician 
Buckhout,  James,  Teacher 
Burton,  Myron  C,  Real  Estate 
Bush,  John  S.,  Pres.  North'n  Union  Gas  I 
Booth,  Wm.  H.,  Carriages  . 
Bell,  John  J.,  Building  Materials 
Bell,  Harry  W.,  Drain  Pipe  . 
Barnard,  H.  H.,  Lumber 
Baker,  Seward,  Lawyer 
Butler,  Isaac,  Undertaker 
Brown,  J.  Romaine,  Real  Estate 
Berrian,  Chas.  A.,  Real  Estate 
Berrian,  Samuel,  Builder 
Barry,  John  J.,  Builder 


Camp,  Frederick  E.,  Cement 
Carvalho,  J.  S.,  Lumber  . 
Claflin,  John,  Dry  Goods  . 
Clark,  Elijah  D.,  School  Principal 
Caterson,  Robert,  Monuments 


49th  St.  and  Harlem  River 
Morris  Heights 
146  Broadway 
2632  Third  Ave. 
278  Alexander  Ave. 
210  Grand  St. 


.  Foot  E.  138th  St. 
ight  Co.,  350  Alexander  Ave. 

665  E.  i42d  St. 
.     670  E.  136th  St. 
remont  Ave.  and  Bronx  River 
Twenty-third  Ward  Bank 
108  Worth  St. 
.    968  Trinity  Ave. 
99  Nassau  St. 
St.  James  St.,  Fordham 
L.  Co.     .        59  Liberty  St. 

.  1043  Boston  Ave. 
178th  St.  and  Burnside  Ave. 

Woodlawn  Heights 
ight  Co.,  1845  Vanderbilt  Ave. 

.  West  Farms 
.  Foot  of  Lincoln  Ave. 
Third  Ave.  and  136th  St. 

20  W.  130th  St. 
150  Nassau  St. 

Y.  C. 

614  W.  i52d  St. 
59  Liberty  St. 
.  Kingsbridge 
169  Boston  Ave. 


Westchester,  N 


55  Liberty  St. 
149th  St.  and  Harlem  River 
.  Church  and  Worth  Sts. 
.    855  E.  165th  St. 
Woodlawn,  N.  Y.  C. 


xii 


The  Great  North  Side. 


Carter,  Wm.  H.  H.,  Iron  Works  . 
Campbell,  Rev.  J.  I\,  Pres.  St.  John's  College 
Constable,  Stevenson,  Sup't  of  Buildings 
Cooney,  Peter  J.,  Sashes  and  Blinds 
Crawford,  Ellison,  Lawyer  . 
Cronin,  Chas.  H.,  Real  Estate 

Davis,  Albert  E.,  Architecl 
Davies,  J.  Clarence,  Real  Estate- 
Danzig,  Simon,  Broker 
Decker,  John  W.,  Real  Estate 
Deeves,  Richard  H.,  Builder  . 
De  Hart,  John,  An  hiteel  . 
Depew,  Chauncey  M.,  Pres  N  \ 
Devoe,  Fred.  W.,  Paints  . 

Dienst,  Adam  P.,  Hardware 
Diekson,  James,  Publisher  . 


Ebling,  William,  Retired 
Eickwort,  Louis,  Druggist 

Eustis,  John  E.,  Lawyer  . 

Faile,  Thos.  H.,  Coffee 
Faircbild,  Pen.  L.,  Lawyer  . 
Fairchild,  Samuel  W.,  Chemist 
Fernchild,  Geo.  J.,  Builder 
Fensterer,  Gabriel,  Importer 
Fitch,  Ashbel  P.,  Comptroller 
Folz,  Frederick,  Brewer  . 
Fox,  John  J.,  Undertaker  . 
Francis,  Joseph  F.,  Printer  . 
Frank,  Adam,  Lawyer  . 
Fraser,  James  M.,  Builder  . 

Gass,  Frank,  Real  Estate 
Gillings,  Peter,  Builder        .  ^  . 
Goldwater,  A.  L.,  Druggist  . 
Goulden,  Jos.  A.,  Insurance 
Gumbleton.  Henry  A.,  Lawyer 
Guy,  Chas.  L.,  Lawyer 

HafTen,  Louis  F.,  Civil  Engineer 
Haffen,  John,  Brewer, 


.    462  E.  136th  St. 
Fordham,  N.  Y.  C. 
Fourth  Ave.  and  1 8th  St. 
.     771-775  E.  165th  St. 

150  Nassau  St. 
59  Liberty  St. 

.    2558  Third  Ave. 
149th  St.  and  Third  Ave. 

5 1  Exchange  Place 
161st  St.  and  Third  Ave. 
.     853  E.  135th  St. 
.  1637  Fox  St. 
<  Co.,  Grand  Central  Depot 
.  P.  O.  Box  460,  N.  V.  C. 
140th  St.  and  Third  Ave. 
•    33°9  Third  Ave. 

Prospect  Ave.  and  163d  St. 
176th  St.  and  Anthony  Ave. 

Morris  Heights. 


.  45  South  St. 
Pelham  Heights. 
.  Kingsbridge 
.  10 13  Boston  Ave. 
.    928  E.  137th  St. 
15  Stewart  Building 
1395  Washington  Ave. 
.720  Tremont  Ave. 
41st  St.  and  Third  Ave. 

580  Mott  Ave. 
.    531  Trinity  Ave. 

Westchester,  N.  Y.  C. 
Williamsbridge,  N.  Y. 
.    2671  Third  Ave. 
eston  Ave.  and  183d  St. 

.  850  E.  134th  St. 
Mott  Ave.  and  165th  St. 

647  Courtland  Ave. 
644  E.  1 5 2d  St. 


The  Great  North  Side. 


xiii 


Hall,  Alfred,  Engraver 
Hall,  Ernest,  Lawyer 
Hall,  Henry  B.,  Jr.,  Engraver 
Hand,  Wm.  H.,  Builder 
Heintz,  John  C,  Brewer 
Heuel,  Emil,  Physician 
Hildreth,  J.  Homer,  Lawyer 
Hillman,  Caleb  M.,  Lawyer 
Hirtzler,  Albert,  Provisions 
Huber  Co.,  Henry,  Plumbers'  Suppl 
Hupfel,  Adolph  G.,  Brewer 
Hurd,  Edward  F.,  Physician 

Janes,  Henry  E.,  Iron  Works  . 
Jefferson,  John  J.  ... 
Johnson,  Isaac  G.,  Foundry  . 
Jones,  Israel  C,  Physician  . 
Jones,  B.  F.,  Contractor 

Kaeppel,  Chas.  M.,  Real  Estate  . 
Kahn,  Herman,  Merchant 
Keating,  Wm.  H.,  Commissions  . 
Keil,  Francis,  Hardware  Manufacturer 
Knoeppel,  John  H.,  Upholsterer 
Kountze,  Luther,  Banker 


Langbein,  J.  C.  Julius,  Lawyer 
Lawton,  Newbury  D.,  Lawyer 
Leahy,  Michael  J.,  Contractor 
Levey,  Augustus  A.,  Lawyer 
Levi,  Emil  S.,  Laces 
Levy,  Ephraim  B.,  Real  Estate 
Lickman,  Albert  E.,  Photographe 
Lindsay,  John  L.,  Lawyer  . 
Lipps,  Martin,  Contractor 
Livingston,  Philip,  Lawyer  . 
Lomas,  Robert  I.,  Jr.,  Real  Estate 
Lowenstein,  Albert  L.,  Executor 
Lyons  &  Chabot,  Dry  Goods 
Lyons,  Edward  H.,  Real  Estate 


MacCracken,  Henry  M.,  Chancellor  N 
MacMillan,  Samuel,  Builder  . 


Crimmins  Ave.  and  141st  St. 

.  1087  Boston  Ave. 
.    990  Trinity  Ave. 
R.  R.  Ave.  and  140th  St. 
.    3582  Third  Ave. 

350  Willis  Ave. 
.    719  E.  138th  St. 
2084  Washington  Ave. 
.  1992  Arthur  Ave. 
les     .  .     481  E.  136th  St. 

161st  St.  and  Third  Ave. 
176th  St.  and  Anthony  Ave. 

.    1 10  Beekman  St. 
Asbury  Park,  N.  J. 
Spuyten  Duyvil,  N.  Y.  C. 

Fordham,  N.  Y.  C. 
Third  Ave.  and  130th  St. 

.    3160  Third  Ave. 
.    2188  Third  Ave. 
Williamsbridge,  N.  Y.  C. 
163d  St.  and  Brook  Ave. 
.    1066  Forest  Ave. 
120  Broadway 

1424  Washington  Ave. 
.     40  Wall  St. 
Denman  Place 
20  Nassau  St. 
514  Broadway 
7  Astor  Place 
.    2683  Third  Ave. 

132  Nassau  St. 
.    2558  Third  Ave. 
37  Liberty  St. 
Morris  Ave.  and  Ash  St. 

.      341  W.  58th  St. 
50th  St.  and  Third  Ave. 
.    2778  Third  Ave. 

Y.  University,  University  Heights 
Morris  Heights 


XIV 


The  Great  North  Side. 


McCrea,  Wm.  G.,  Lawyer  .... 
Mcllroy,  S.  H.,  Physi<  Lac  .... 
McOwen,  Anthony,  Deputy  <  ommissioner 
Mack,  Michael  J.,  Civil  Engineer 
Maher,  Edward  A.,  Jr.,  Electric  Lights 
Mapes,  Daniel,  Jr.,  Coal  .... 
Matthewson,  Douglas,  Lawyer 
Meyers,  John  H.,  Teacher  .... 
Miller,  Edward  F.,  Pharmacist 
Morris,  Arthur  H. 

Morris,  David  H.  ..... 

Morris,  Fordham,  Lawyer 
Morris,  Henry  Lewis,  Lawyer 
Mott,  Jordan  L.,  Iron  Works  . 
Mott,  Frank  P.,  Sup'l  Station  u  R 
Morris,  William  H.  . 


92  West  Broadway 
330  Alexander  Ave. 
515  Wales  A  \  e. 
Hull  Ave.  and  Suburban  St. 
140th  St.  and  Rider  Ave. 
1920  West  Farms  K<1 
Franklin  Ave.  and  175th  St. 

1 26 1  Clover  St. 
7  1 2  Tremont  Ave. 
WcsU  hester,  N.  V.  C. 
W  estchester,  N.  Y.  C. 
16  Exchange  Place 
16  Exchange  Place 
Third  Ave.  and  So.  Boulevard. 

760  E.  i62d  St. 
ECingsbridge  Rd.  near  Jerome  Ave. 


Niles,  W.  W.,  Jr.,  Lawyer 


Ogden,  James  W.,  Builder  . 
O'Gorman,  Real  Estate 
Oliver,  Francis  V.  S.,  Lawyer 
O'Reilly,  Dominic  .... 
Osborn,  John,  Dep't  Street  Improvements 
Overbaugh,  De  Witt  C,  Building  Materials  .    Kingsbridge,  N.  Y.  C. 


Bedford  Park. 

Prospect  and  Leggett  Aves. 

252  Willis  Ave. 
220  Broadway 
.     208  E.  119th  St. 
Tremont  and  Third  Aves. 


Peck,  Wm.  D  ,  Lawyer 

Perlhefter,  John  R. 

Pritchard,  E.  M.,  Moulding  Milt 

Randall,  Rufus  R.,  Real  Estate 
Raymond,  Geo.  W.,  Drain  Pipe 
Reichelt,  A.  F.,  Secretary 
Reinhardt,  Geo.  N.,  Grain 
Reinhardt,  Philip  .... 
Rieger,  Christian,  Manufacturer  . 
Risse,  Louis  A.,  -Civil  Engineer 
Robitzek,  Gustavus,  Coal 
Roehrs,  Theo.  .... 
Rowell,  Edward,  Insurance  . 


Mott 


314  W.  104th  St. 
2785  Third  Ave. 
Ave.  and  138th  St. 


721  Tremont  Ave. 
484  E.  139th  St. 
350  Alexander  Ave. 
i62d  St.  and  Harlem  R.  R. 

153  E.  123d  St. 
702  E.  148th  St. 
599  Mott  Ave. 
Rider  Ave.  and  136th  St. 

494  E.  176th  St. 
45  Pine  St. 


Saward,  F.  E.,  Editor  1637  Washington  Ave. 

Scardefield,  John  H.,  Gold  Beater  .       .      .       .    457  E.  134th  St. 


The  Great  North  Side. 


Schaeffeller,  Joseph,  Builder 

Kingsbridge  Rd.  and  Monroe  St. 

Schrader,  Henry  C. 

.    2687  Third  Ave. 

Schilling,  Francis  A  

.     592  E.  137th  St. 

School,  Henry  L  

563  E.  141st  St. 

Seitz,  William,  Builder  .... 

173  E.  94th  St. 

Shipway,  John,  Marble  Works 

.   136th  St.  and  E.  River 

Sias,  Arthur  W  

Williamsbridge 

Sigel,  Franz,  Publisher 

563  Mott  Ave. 

Smith,  Wm.  Stebbins,  Lawyer 

.     743  E.  167th  St. 

Spears,  Joseph,  Builder, 

.    2281  Third  Ave. 

Stahl,  Jacob,  Jr.,  Cigar  Manufacturer 

.    3489  Third  Ave. 

Steers,  Edward  P.,  Bank  President 

Lexington  Ave.  and  125th  St. 

Steeves,  J.  F.,  Lumber 

.-  Mott  and  R.  R.  Aves. 

Stephens,  Geo.  W.,  Lawyer  . 

.  Kingsbridge. 

Stephens,  Ohn  J.,  Coal  . 

.     444  E,  138th  St. 

Stolz   GeorfTP  Plumber 

2066  Third  A  vp 

Stonebridge,  Chas.  H.,  Insurance 

.    2656  Third  Ave. 

Stoughton,  Chas.  W.,  Architect 

1665  Washington  Ave. 

Strong,  Wm.  L.,  Mayor 

City  Hall,  City 

Sturz,  Arthur  L.,  Pianos 

.   142  Lincoln  Ave. 

Stuyvesant,  Peter  J.,  Lawyer 

.  154  St.  Ann's  Ave. 

Ten  Eyck,  William  H.,  Clerk  Common  Council     .     679  E.  135th  St. 

Theise,  M.  M.,  Manager 

Metropolis  Theatre 

Tiffany,  Henry  D.,  . 

Fox  Hurst,  Westchester  Ave. 

Wallace,  Robert,  Real  Estate 

.    WTilliamsbridge,  N.  Y. 

Walter,  Martin,  Real  Estate. 

735  Tremont  Ave. 

Washburn,  Morgan,  Teacher 

Westchester,  N.  Y. 

Wells,  James  L.,  Real  Estate  . 

267  Alexander  Ave. 

White,  Joseph  J.,  Builder 

816  Eagle  Ave. 

Wiener,  Alphonse,  Jeweller  . 

2693  Third  Ave. 

Wilcox,  Franklin  A.,  Lawyer  . 

.    1  Broadway 

Young,  J.  Hamilton,  Stone  Yard 

R.  R.  Ave.,  near  138th  St. 

Zeltner,  William  H.,  Brewer,  . 

178th  St.  and  Third  Ave. 

Capital, 
$100,000. 


Authorized  Capital, 
8500,000. 


Twenty =third  Ward  Bank, 

OF  NEW  YORK  CITY. 
COR.  THIRD  AVE.  AND  135th  STREET. 


CHAS.  W.  BOGART,  Prest.  JOHN  HAFFEN,  Vice-Pres. 

GEO.  E.  EDWARDS,  Cashier. 


DIRECTORS. 


JOHN  HAFFEN, 
HENRY  L.  SCHOOL, 
DAVID  B.  SICKLES, 
JAMES  L.  WELLS, 
GEORGE  M.  MACKELLAR, 


ANTON  RINSCHLER, 
ALFRED  E.  FOUNTAIN,  Jr. 
BRIAN  G.  HUGHES, 
WILLIAM  S.  BECKLEY, 
CHAS.  W.  BOGART, 


GEO.  E.  EDWARDS. 


Business  and  Individual  Accounts  Solicited. 


CAPITAL,  $200,000. 


SURPLUS,  $140,000. 


EDWARD  P.  STEERS,  President.  F.  B.  FRENCH,  Cashier. 

ISAAC  A.  HOPPER,  Vice-President. 
CHAS.  W.  DAYTON,  Counsel. 

■ 

Corjwration,  Finn,  Individual  and  Family  Accounts 

Solicited. 

Drafts  issued  on  all  parts  of  Murope. 


Offices  and  Lodge  Rooms  to  let  with  all  modern  conveniences  in 

The  Twelfth  Ward  Bank  BuildiRg, 

Corner  125th  Street  and  Lexington  Avenue, 

NEW  YORK  CITY. 

3 


CENTRAL 
UNION 
GAS 
COMPANY. 


Wm.  R.  Beal,  President. 

A.  F.  Reichelt,  Secy  and  Treas'r. 

Thaddeus  R.  Beal,  Supt. 


OFFICE  : 

Alexander  Avenue  Cor.  East  142CI  Street. 

WORKS  : 
138th  Street  and  East  River. 


4 


John  G.  Borgstede. 


Horatio  C.  Klenke. 


J.  Henry  Borgstede,  Jr. 


BORGSTEDE  &  KLENKE, 
§Ual  Instate  &  Insurance  lookers, 


MANAGERS  OF  ESTATES, 

3273  3d  Ave.  and  20J-20Q  East  54th  St., 

YORK. 

rnrrUoR„1oo:aL,a.XChanee  (TELEPHONE) 


At  3273  3d  Ave.  we  make  a  specialty  of  23d  and  24th  Ward  Lots,  Houses  and  In- 
vestment Properties. 

At  207-209  E.  54th  St.  we  sell  Manhattan  Island  Investment  properties  ;  flats  and 
tenements  and  store  property. 

Owners  are  requested  to  send  particulars  of  any  New  York  City  property  they  have 
for  sale  or  exchange. 

A  postal  card  will  bring  one  of  us  to  you. 

Commenced  business  Jan.  6,  1890. 


TWELFTH  WARD  SAVINGS  BANK 

23I  WEST  I25th  STREET. 


OFFICERS  : 


Isaac  A.  Hopper, 

President. 

George  B.  Brown, 
John  Boulton  Simpson, 

Vice-Presidents. 

Arthur  T.  Timpson, 

Secretary. 

Charles  W.  Dayton, 

Counsel. 


TRUSTEES: 

Simon  Adler, 

Henry  H.  Barnard. 
John  Beaver, 

George  B.  Brown, 
George  H.  Burford, 

Charles  W.  Dayton, 
Bradley  L.  Eaton, 

Isaac  A.  Hopper, 
H.  C.  F.  Koch, 
John  II .  Loos, 

B.  G.  Mitchell, 
William  Moores, 
Antonio  Rasines, 

John  B.  Simpson, 
Edward  P.  Steers, 
George  W.  Thompson. 


Deposits  from  $1.00  to  $3,000  Received. 

5 


OVERBAUGH  &  CAMP, 

WHOLKSALK  AM)   l< MI  All,  DI  AI.KKS  IN 

Lumber,  Coal,  Brick,  Cement,  Plaster  and  Lime, 

Building  Materials  Generally. 


Yards  at  Kingsbridge  —  Main  Office,  / 
"       Morris  Dock    Branch  Office,  \ 


....    NEW  YORK  CITY. 

VLI.  ORDERS  RECEIVED  AT  EITIIKR  YARD  PROMPTLY  FILLED. 


Wm.  H.  Swift. 


lis  T  AHLISHED  1B54. 

1  KI.H'lluNh  .  MKI.ICJSh. 


Peter  Gillings,  j<»».a.york. 

CONTRACTOR. 
Dealer  in    .    .  . 

North  River  Blue  Stone;    YORK  &  SWIFT, 

UNDERTAKERS. 


of  Every  Description  at  Lowest 
'  Maiket  Rates. 

Office  and  Yards  155th  St.,  Cor.  Elton  Ave. 
Branch  Office,  Williamsbridge 

P.  o.  iu,x  <.  ?,  WHHanisbridge. 


charter  member 

North  sujk  Board  of  tkadh 


Rufus  R.  Randall, 

BRONX  BOROUGH 

Real  Estate  Office. 

721  Tremont  Avenue, 
(177th  Street.)  New  York  City. 

Telephone  29  Melrose. 


606  East  145th  Street, 

Near  Third  Avenue.  NEW  YORK. 


J 


,OHN  E1CHLER 

BREWING  CO. 


BOTTLING  DEPARTMENT. 


169th  Street  and  Third  Avenue,  New  York. 


51, 


 #256  3 

U*°1,c"%4  T  RD 
REAL  ESTATES  ^ 


1  N 


J.  &  M.  HAFFEN, 


LAGER 

BEER  j$ 
BREWERS. 


632=644  East  .S2d  Street » 

Between  3d  and  Courtlandt  Aves.  )         l^C  W    I  UI IV. 


Scbieffelin  &  Go. 


Importers,  Exporters,  Jobbers  and  Manufacturers  of 

DRUGS,  CHEMICALS, 

 and  PHARMACEUTICAL  PREPARATIONS. 

Manufacturers  of  STANDARD  PHARMACEUTICAL  PREPARA- 
TIONS, including  Fluid  and  Solid  Extracts,  Elixirs,  Syrups,  Ointments, 
Hypodermic  and  Compressed  Tablets,  and  SOLUBLE  COATED  PILLS, 
comprising  all  the  Officinal  Pills  of  the  Pharmacopaeia. 

Unequalled  in  regard  to  Purity  of  Composition,  Solubility  of  Coating,  Uniformity  in 
Size,  and  Perfection  of  Form  and  Finish. 


Office  and  Warehouse,  170  William  St.,  Cor.  Beekman. 


Laboratory  and  Drug  Mills, 
St.  Ann's  Avenue,  Cor.  So.  Boulevar 


GEO.  N.  REINHARDT  &  CO., 

Elevator,  Mill  and  Hay  Warehouse, 
i62d  to  163d  Sts.  N.  Y.  C.  &  H.  R.  R.  Co. 

NEW  YORK. 


K2T0  16355 ST.  HARLEM  RAILROAD 


^MORRIS  BRANCH) 


Write,  telephone  or  wire  us  for  prices,  quotations, 
or  any  information  in  regard  to  HAY,  GRAIN  or 
FEED.    We  will  cheerfully  furnish  the  above. 

.    .    .    .    Telephone,  61  Melrose. 


J.  HAMILTON  YOUNG, 

Contractor  for  Cut  Stone, 


Railroad  Avenue, 
Near  138th  Street. 


MOTT  HAVEN. 


A  partial  list  of  the  buildings  for  which  I 
have  furnished  the  Cut  Stone: 

Hall  of  LANGUAGES,  University  Heights 
Physics  Building.  Columbia  College 

SCHF.rmerhorn  Hall,  Columbia  College 

MANHATTAN  ATHLETIC  CLUB 

Bradley  Building 

Colby  House 

Roosevelt  House 
Municipal  Building,  Crotona  Park 

N.  W.  Cor.  Greene  and  Bleecker  Streets 
R.  C.  Orphan  Asylum 

Salvation  Army  Building 
SCHOOL— 138th  Street  and  Willis  Avenue 

SCHOOL— Union  Avenue  and  149th  Street 

SCHOOL— Fox  and  167th  Streets 


Telephone  Call,  505  Hanem. 


Telethons  Call,  ;  Mklkc  i 

C.  Rieger's  Sons, 

Design  en  and  M;ikcrs  of 

Office,  Bank  and  Bar  Fixtures 

Designs  and  Estimates  Furnished. 


Office  unci  Factory,  702  and  704  B.  148th  St. 
near  Third  Avenue,  New  York. 


STEPHEN  J.  EGAN, 

BUILDER, 
Crimmins  Ave.  and  141st  St. 

lias  contributed  largely  to  the  growth  of 
the  North  Side,  his  specialty  being  g-etory 
flats,  of  which  he  has  built  about  thirty  in 
the  vicinity  of  Willis  and  St.  Ann's  Avenues 
and  138th  St.  The  buildings  which  Mr. 
Egan  erects  contain  every  improvement. 
The  very  latest  plumbing  improvements 
are  always  included. 


DEALER  IN  gm, 
DIAMONDS  liP 


A.  WEI NER 

J-1WELER 

2693  Third  Ave. 

143d  St. 

New  York. 


JOHN  W.  RAPP 

COMPLETE  SYSTEM  FIRE  PROOF 
CONSTRUCTION 

Patent  Fire  Proof  Arches,  Steel 
Stud  Wire  Lath  Partition,  Metal 
Covered  Doors  and  Shutters 

OFFICE  AND  WORKS: 

311  to  327  East  94th  St.,  N.  Y.  City 


TEL.,  285-7gth  St. 


OFFICE  OF 


The 

Northern 
Gaslight 
Compay 


m 


si 


NKW  YORK  CITY 


1845  Vandhrbilt  Aye. 

Near  176  Street. 


Paul  G.  Decker 

Sanitary  Plumber  and  Gas  Fitter 

STEAM  AND  HOT  WATER  HEATING 

3204  Third  Avenue,  near  161st  Street 
NEW  YORK 

Residence,  875  Cauldwell  Ave. 

TELEPHONE, 49  MELROSE 


JOHN  DeHART 

ARCHITECT 

Real  Estate,  Insurance,  Loans, 
Etc. 

1637  FOX  STREET,  near  Westchester  Ave. 
NEW  YORK 


Telephone  Call,  37  Melrose 


APPRAISEMENTS  IN  STREET  OPENING  PROCEEDINGS  A  SPECIALTY. 


LOANS, 

INVESTMENTS 


ESTATES 
MANAGED. 


(Bronx  Borough  Hall.) 

Charles  M.  Kaeppel, 

Bronx  Borough  Real  Estate  Dealer  and  Appraiser, 

THIRD  AVENUE  AND  161st  STREET. 


William  j£.  filbert 


BUILDER 

2281  Third  Ave. 

New  York 


Telephone,  20  Harlem 


Established  1883 

MATTHEW  ANDERSON 

Notary  Public 

Real  Estate  &  Insurance  Broker 

AND  APPRAISER 

Member  North  Side  Board  of  T rade 


No.  2632  Third  Ave. 

Below  142a  St. 


NEW  YORK 


TELEPHOXE.  /,"o  MELROSE 


Entire  Charge  taken  of  Houses,  Rents  Collected, 
Loans  Effected,  etc. 


23d  and  24th  Wards  Real 
Estate 

W.  C.  RULE 

APPRAISER 

1006  Westchester  Avenue, 

AND 

3d  Avenue  and  149th  Street 

Established  1874 

JOHN  J.  FOX 

720  TREMONT  AVENUE 
NEW  YORK 


Established  1874 


TREMONT  STABLES 

Coaches  furnished  for  Funerals,  Weddings, 
Receptions, &c. 

1888-1890  WASHINGTON  AVENUE 

Tel.  Call,  Xo.  8  Tremont 


MARTIN  LIPP5 

CONTRACTOR. 


Office,  2558  Third  Ave.  Yards,  897-901  E.  149th  Street. 

WATER  AND  CAS  SYSTEMS  A  SPECIALTY. 


Refers  by  permission  to 

G.  W.  Birdsall,  Chief  Engineer  Croton  Aqueduct. 
W.  R.  Hill.  Chief  Engineer  Syracuse  Water  Works. 
RoBEK-r  F.  Cairns,  City  Engineer,  Waterbury,  Conn. 
Frank  H.  Davis,  Superintendent  New  Rochelle  Water  Co. 
W.  R.  Beal,  President  Central  Union  Gas  Co. 
JNO.  S.  Bush,  President  Northern  Gas  Light  Co. 

Have  as  good  if  not  the  best  plant  for  Heavy  Pipe  Laying 
in  the  United  States. 

10 


Established  1854 


A.  Hupfel's  Sons, 


REWERS 


1 6  1st  STREET 


AND  THIRD  AVENUE 


C 


New  York 


FRED  M(  CARTHY, 

Builder   .   .  . 

and  Real  Estate  Broker, 

1044  E.  156th  St. 


Residi 


IOIQ  E.  1 62(1  St. 


J    ROMAINE  BROWN  &  CO. 

BROKERS— APPRAISERS, 


TO  ARCHITECTS 
AND  BUILDERS. 

A  Long-felt  Want  now  Supplied 

Holies  patent  revolving  window  sash,  perfect  in 
every  way,  can  be  turned  inside-out  and  outside-irr 
with  perfect  ease,  whereby  your  windows  can  be 
cleaned  on  both  sides  and  stand  in  the  room.  No 
more  reaching  out,  no  more  danger  to  life  or  limb. 
I  he  cost  is  trilling  (  on  |iar«  d  t  1  the  <  omfort  and  se- 
curity. Air-tight  in  winter  and  thorough  ventilation 
in  summer.  Warranted  absolutely  safe.  No  dwell- 
ing or  office  should  be  without  them. 

Full  particulars  obtained  from 

J.  J.  BRIERLY 

1760  Broadway  New  York  City 

Edwin  Shuttleworth, 

STONE  WORKS. 


MANAGERS  OF  ESTATES.      ^  Stoo*Workii«  Machinery. 


59  West  33d  St.,  cor.  Broadway. 
245  Columbus  Ave.,  (j2d  St.), 

J.  ROMAINE  BROWN      A.  I\  W.  RINNAN 


Contractor  for  all  kinds  of  Free  Stone  and  Lime 
Stone. 

Estimates  promptly  furnished. 

105th  STREET  &  EAST  RIVER. 

Telephone,  67o-79th  St.  New  York. 


J.  Leitner. 


LYONS  &  CHABOT, 


Real  Estate. 

Houses  and  Lots 

For  Sale  and  Exchange. 

Money  to  Loan 

On  Bond  and  Mortgage. 


156th  St.  and  Westchester 
Avenue. 


Goods  Department 
Store. 


Third  Avenue  and  150th  Street, 
New  York. 

Housefurnishing  Goods,  Shoes,  Furniture, 
Bedding,  Etc. 


W.  C.  DICKERSON, 

Architect. 


The  Suburban  Building, 

3d  Ave.  and  149th  Street. 


Opposite 
Elevated  R.  R.  Depot. 


New  York. 


The  Port  Morris  Land  &  Improvement  Co. 


OFFERS  FOR  SALE 


EAST  RIVER  WATER  FRONTS 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  BULKHEADS. 

Sites  for  Factories,  Lumber,  Stone  and  Coal  Yards. 

FRONTING  UPON  NEW  HAVEN  BRANCH  RAILROAD  AND  UPON 
STREETS  SEWERED,  GRADED  AND  FLAGGED. 
TWO  TROLLEY  LINES  RUN  THROUGH  PROPERTY. 

APPLY, 

59  Liberty  Street,  NEW  YORK. 


<$><$><$><$><«>^<$><5><J><$><$><5><$><^ 

<S>        t       j.  7  7  j.  ❖ 

<$> 


I   In  the  General  Contracting  % 
and  Building  Line 


<•> 

<♦> 

<$> 

❖ 

«>  No  man  is.  perhaps,  better  known  up-town  than  J> 

Mr.  Isaac  A.  Hopper,  whose  office  is  at  219  W.  125th  St.  % 

%        Mr.  Hopper's  work  is  to  be  found  all  over  New  York  City.  ^ 

//  is  not  confined  to  any  particular  class  of  work,  and  some  ❖ 

4        of  the  handsomest  and  best  constructed  buildings  in  the  % 

%         Metropolis  stand  as  monuments  to  his  constructive  genius.  ^ 

J         The  Hotel  Norm  an  die,  Emigrant  Savings  Bank,   yd  and  ^ 

lot/i  Avenue  Power  Houses,  Monte /lore  Home,  8th  Regi-  % 

I        ment  Armory,  store  of  H.  C.  F.  Koch  &  Co.,  Lodge,  Wall  | 

^        and  Vault,  Trinity  Cemetery,  Carnegie  Music  Hall.  New  j> 

Netherland  Hotel,  St.  Michael's  <P.  E.  Church,  Hotel  Marie  I 

%        Antoinette,  Spingler  Building,  and  numerous  commercial  % 

I        and  residence  buildings  throughout  the  city  testify  to  his  | 

4        experience  and  ability.  4 

One  of  Mr.  Hopper's  latest  achievements  is  the  new  3d  Avenue  Bridge  across  the  Harlem  ^ 

^  River,  the  main  artery  of  travel  between  the  Boroughs  of  Manhattan  and  of  the  Bronx.  ^ 


13 


Fredenburg  &  Lounsbury, 

SOLE  AGENTS  FOR 

HYDRAULIC-PRESS  BRICK  COMPANIES. 

Front  and  Ornamental  Bricks. 

Telephone,  903  Metropolitan  Building,  \  /'ir   \-  )/»/' 

.  i9-i8th  St.       23d  st.  &  Madison  Ave.        • W;  ' '  YUKK. 

ROBERT  F.  SEIFFERT, 

PLUMBER  AND  GAS  FITTER, 

Melrose  Avenue, 

S.  W.  Cor  158th  Street,  NEW  YORK. 

Fine  Plumbing  a  Specialty.  Personal  attention  given  to  all  work. 


.    .   E.  M.  PRITCHARD. 


E.  M.  PRITCHARD  &  SON  CO. 

 Manufacturers  of  

Window  Frames,  Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds, 

WOOD  MOULDINGS  AND  INTERIOR  TRIMMINGS,  HARDWOOD  DOORS, 
MANTELS,  CHURCH  WORK,  ETC. 


E.  M.  P pitch  and' s  Patent  Fire  Proof  Doors  and  Shutters. 

Patented  Jan.  23d,  1894. 


Estimates  Furnished. 
138th  Street  and  Mott  Avenue,  New  York. 

Opposite  Mott  Haven  Station.  Telephone  277  Harlem. 

14 


AND 


GAS  ENGINE  AND  POWER  CO. 
CHAS.  L.  SEABURY  &  CO 


(CONSOLIDATED). 


High=class  Steam  Yachts 


Builders  of  ]V  J  t     J  t  t 

the  only  [Naphtha  Launch. 

Over  2,500  in  successful  use. 
Operated  without  services  of  Licensed  Engineer  and  Pilot. 


No  pleasure  craft  is  more  widely  or  favorably  known  than  the  Naphtha  l  aunches  made  by  this 
company.    They  are  safe,  simple,  and  economical  of  power.    Also  Builders  of 

Pleasure  Boats  of  every  description. 

Sail  Yachts,  Electric  Launches,  Dinghys,  Gigs  and  Yacht  Tenders, 
Seabury's  Water-Tube  Boilers,  and  Marine  Engines. 

Storage  Basin  and  Ship's  Ways.    Overhauling  of  all  kinds  promptly  done.    Charters  and 
Insurance.    Boats  Bought  and  Sold  on  Commission.    Correspondence  Solicited. 

Send  10c.  in  stamps  for  Catalogue  to  Down-town  Office,  50  BROADWAY, 
or  to  Factory  at  MORRIS  HEIGHTS,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


15 


Crawford  Building  Co. 

1 19  West  127th  Street 


Some  of  the  buildings  erected  by  this 
Company  are  illustrated  in 
this  publication. 


PITTSBURGH,  PA.  : 
THE  UNITED  STATES  FIRE  CLAY  CO.. 
THE  OHIO  SEWER  PIPE  CO. 

(  Jersey  City  Yard,  407  A  Jersey  City. 

CHAS.  H.  COLMAN  &  CO. 

OFFICES  : 
BEDFORD  PARK,  N.  Y. 
AND  NO.  207  BROADWAY,  N.  Y.,  COR.  FULTON  STREET. 


OHIO  FIRE  CLAY  PRODUCTS" 

Vitrified  Salt  Glazed  Sewer  Pipe,  Vitrified  Fire  Clay  Wall  Coping, 
Fire  Clay  Flue  Lining,  Fire  Clay  Fire  Brick,  Chimney  Tops,  Fire  Clay 
Paving  Bricks. 

ARTIFICIAL  STONE- 

For  Side-Walks,  Areas,  Yards,  Cellars,  &c.  Concrete  Fire-Proof 
Floors.    Concrete  Work  of  Every  Description. 


Estimates  Made. 


16 


Contractors  Supplied. 


(jJoMpitcjmc  (jSaicrate  fltatisatlatttiqnc 

(French  Line  Mail  Steamships.) 


STEAMSHIP  "  EA  TOUKAI NE.* 


THE  COMPAGNIE  GENERATE  TRANSATL ANTIQUE,  (French  Line  of 
Steamers),  the  direct  line  to  France,  and  the  shortest  route  to  all  principal  points 
on  the  continent  of  Europe,  is  one  of  the  greatest  shipping  Companies  in  the 
world.  The  fleet  includes  no  less  than  75  steamers,  with  a  total  tonnage  of 
181,278,  and  a  total  horse-power  of  185,690.  Last  year  this  Company  carried  306,975 
passengers,  871,436  tons  of  freight,  and  12,701,706  packages  of  merchandise,  covering  in 
transit  2,500,000  miles.  A  good  many  of  the  boats  included  in  the  fleet  are  used  in  the 
Company's  Mediterranean  and  West  India  mail  services,  but  the  largest  and  newest  con- 
stitute the  splendid  mail  line,  under  postal  contract  with  the  French  Government,  plying 
between  New  York  and  Havre,  and  leaving  those  ports  every  Saturday.  The  Atlantic 
fleet  includes  the  splendid  new  express  Steamers  "La  Touraine"  (10,000  tons,  12,000 
h.-p.),  "  La  Bourgogne,"  "  La  Bretagne,"  "  La  Champagne"  and  "  La  Gascogne,"  each 
8,000  tons  and  9,000  h.-p.,  "  La  Normandie"  (7,000  tons,  8,000  h.-p.),  and  others. 
These  steamers  are  magnificently  fitted  up  in  every  respect,  and  are  unsurpassed  as  re- 
gards speed  and  comfort  combined.  "  La  Touraine,"  which  is  one  of  the  finest  boats 
crossing  the  Atlantic,  holds  the  record  for  the  fastest  trip  from  New  York  to  the  Conti- 
nent of  Europe  direct,  viz  :  6  days,  22  hours,  and  the  fastest  trip  from  the  Continent  di- 
rect to  New  York,  viz  :  6  days,  17  hours.  American  travellers  going  by  this  line  avoid 
transit  by  English  railroads,  and  the  trouble  of  crossing  the  Channel,  thus  saving  time 
and  expense. 

This  Company  will  build  three  new  steamers  for  the  New  York-Havre  service  having 
a  speed  of  22  knots  per  hour  on  trial.  The  first  of  these  new  steamers  will  enter  into 
service  in  April,  1900,  and  be  ready  for  the  Exposition  to  be  held  in  Paris  during  that 
year,  and  a  second  in  April,  1901,  and  the  third  in  April,  1902,  to  be  followed  by  a  fourth 
new  steamer.  In  order  to  facilitate  travelling  by  this  line  during  the  Exposition  in  Paris, 
the  Company  intends  to  make  such  alterations  in  the  Steamer  "La  Touraine"  as  will 
give  her  more  speed.  In  this  way  the  Company's  service  in  1900  will  be  in  a  very  good 
condition,  with  one  of  the  new  steamers  in  service,  and  the  alterations  made  in  "  La 
Touraine,"  in  addition  to  the  other  steamers  of  the  fleet. 

Mr.  Augustin  Forget  is  the  General  Agent  for  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  Office  No.  3  Bowling  Green,  New  York  City. 


'7 


Bronx  Borough  Bank 

(Formerly  Bank  of  Westchester) 

731  Tremont  Avenue,  New  York 


Surplus  and  Profits  (Sept.  1897i,  $13,000 


A  safe;  and  convenient  depository  for  up-town  residents 
and  business  men. 

All  business  entrusted  to  us  will  be  handled  with  strict 
fidelity  and  the  interest  of  our  patrons  carefully 
guarded. 

We  offer  most  liberal  terms  consiste  nt  with  the  principles 
of  sound  banking. 

DEPOSITS 

Nov.  7th,  1896  ...  $  96,499.26 

Feb.  6th,  1897  .        .        .  161,186.59 

May  8th,  1897  .       .  193,129.86 

Sept.  9th,  1897  .       .       .  213,505.69 


DIRECTORS 

W.  H.  Birciiall,  President 

S.  R.  Smith,  Vice-President 

M.  J.  McDermott  William  Henderson 

C.  A.  Becker,  M.D.  M.  M.  Corwin,  Cashier 

is 


Homes  mmomtm®® 

156th  St.  and  Dawson  St.  a£ 

Three  Blocks  East  of  Westchester  Avenue 

People  ^mm&mm 

A  personal  examination  will  satisfy  yon  that 
we  can  sell  yon  a  first-class  Modern  Dwelling 
at  least  one  thousand  dollars  lower  than  you 
can  build  the  same  house  for. 

Sixteen  Brick  and  Stone  Dwellings  just  completed  are  partially  de- 
scribed as  follows  : 

1.  Arranged  for  either  t  wo  families  or  one. 

2.  Each  lot  is  25  x  100. 

3.  Each  Dawson  Street  house  is  20  x  56,  two  stories  and  cellar. 

Each  156th  Street  house  is  20x50,  two  stories,  basement  and  cellar. 
Dawson  Street  houses  contain  thirteen  rooms;  156th  Street  houses 
fifteen  rooms  ;  two  corner  houses  eighteen  rooms  each. 

4.  Every  house  has  a  courtyard  ten  feet  wide  between  it  and  the  next 

house  on  one  side  running  from  front  line  of  building  to  rear,  open 
at  both  ends,  insuring  perfect  light  and  air. 

5.  The  houses  are  all  finished  in  hardwood  cabinet  trim  throughout, 

decorated  and  gas  fixtured,  plumbing  open  nickel-plated. 

6.  The  Streets,  Sewers,  etc.,  are  put  in  at  owner's  expense, 

for  which  there  are  positively  no  assessments. 

7.  The  prices  are  very  low  and  the  terms  very  easy  ;  a  purchaser  can 

rent  the  upper  apartment  to  such  advantage  that  his  own  rent  will 
be  less  than  $100  per  annum. 

8.  Owning  a  plot  of  about  1,200  lots  we  have  fully  protected  the  prop- 

erty against  nuisances,  and  as  we  intend  to  improve  the  entire 
property  with  similar  dwellings,  each  purchaser  at  present  prices 
is  certain  to  be  greatly  benefitted. 

9.  We  will  build  a  house  to  order  from  your  own  plans  and  ideas. 

GEORGE  F.  JOHNSON  &  SONS, 

Owners  and  Builders, 
156th  Street  and  Dawson  Street 

Can  be  reached  by  Southern  Boulevard  and  Westchester  Avenue  cars 
from  Harlem  Bridge. 

h 


for  the 


Otis  K.  Dimock,  'Tit  s. 


Maktin  D.  Fink,  Trias. 


A.  L.  Perkins,  Secy. 


Dimock  &  Fink  Co. 

WROUGHT  AND  CAST  IRON  PIPES  AND  FITTINGS, 

SUPPLIES  FOR  PLUMBERS, 
STEAM  AND  GAS  FITTERS,  ENGINEERS,  MILLS,  FACTORIES,  ETC. 

Sole  Manufacturers  of  C.  H.  Moore's  Sanitary  Specialties. 


UP-TOWN  STORE 

214  and  216  East  125th  Street, 


Near  Third  Avenue. 


DOWN-TOWN  STOKE  : 

80  JOHN  STREET. 


NEW  YORK, 


There  are 
Always  a  few  Men 

<3> 

^  In  every  community  who  have  the 

<S>  wisdom  and  foresight  to  do,  while 

y  others  are  thinking  of  doing.  These 

^  are  the  men  who  have  made  possi- 

|>  ble  the  wonderful  development  of 

<$>  the  North  Side.    One  of  the  ent-T- 

^  prising  builders  who  have  contrib- 

^  uted  to  the  growth  of  the  lower 

^  section,  or  North  New  York,  is 

^  Mr.  Edward  D.  Bertine,  of  No. 

<$>  670  East  136th  Street,  who  has 

^  built  some  of  the  handsomest  pri- 

<$>  vate  residences  North  of  the  Har- 

^  lem,  artistic  in  design  and  substan- 

^  tial  in  construction.    Purchasers  for 

^  this  class  of  property  would  do  well 

^  to  consult  Mr.  Bertine.    Mr.  Ber- 

<$>  tine  has  for  sale  a  number  of  first- 

^  class  houses,  built  for  one,  two  and 

<»  three  families  each. 


Thomas 
Morgan 

Dumb  # 
Waiter  %> 
Man  ufac-% 

turer 


20 


Estimates  given 
on  all  kinds  of 
Elevators,  %  % 
Repairing%  % 
Promptly  At-% 
tended  to.  Q  fpj 
OFFICE, 

493  E.  139th  St. 

Residence  and  Factory, 

1428  Vyse  Av. 


ESTABLISHED  1828. 


THE- 


J.  L.  Mo tt  Iron  Works 

Nos.  84  to  go  Beekman  Street , 


NEW  YORK. 


BRANCHES: 

BOSTON,  CHICAGO, 
PHILADELPHIA,        ST.  LOUIS, 
SAX  FR  AX  CI  SCO. 


Manufacturing  Departments 

MOTT  HA  VEX,  X.  Y. 
TREXTOX,  X.  J. 


Established  1835. 


WOOMJUW 


A.  &  M.  ROBBINS, 

DEALERS  IN 

POULTRY 
aw  GAME, 

93  to  108  Fulton  Country  Market 
and  217  Front  Street, 
NEW  YORK. 

P.  0.  Box,  674.  Te'^ortland, 


WOODLAWN  STATION 

(TWENTY-FOURTH  WARD) 


N.  Y.  &  HARLEM  RAILROAD 

CITY  OFFICE 

20  East  23d  Street 

NEW  YORK 


2  1 


Warren=Scharf 
Asphalt  Paving  Co. 

Contractors  for  Trinidad  Pitch  Lake 
Asphalt  Pavements 


The  experience  of  twenty  years  has  proved  that  Trinidad  Pitch  Lake  Asphalt 
Pavement  approaches  the  ideal  street  pavement  more  nearly  than  any 
other  pavement  yet  laid.    The  following  are  its  advantages 

DURABILITY  AND  ECONOMY.  The  price  for  laying  and 
maintaining  it  for  a  period  of  years  is  less  than  that  of  any 
other  permanent  pavement,  granite  not  excepted. 

QUIETNESS.    It  is  practically  a  noiseless  pavement. 

COMFORT.  No  other  pavement  contributes  so  greatly  to  the 
comfort  of  those  using  it  or  living  along  it. 

CLEANLINESS.    In  this  respect  it  stands  without  a  rival. 

HEALTHFULNESS.  It  is  acknowledged  to  be  the  most 
perfect  sanitary  pavement. 

EASE  OF  TRACTION.  Heavier  loads  can  be  hauled  over  it 
with  greater  ease  than  over  any  other  pavement. 

IT  ENHANCES  VALUES.  The  actual  and  rental  value  of 
real  estate  is  increased  by  it  more  than  by  any  other  pave- 
ment. 

See  view  of  Willis  Ave.    This  avenue  was  paved  by  us  in  1895. 
For  further  information  and  specifications  apply  to 

81  Fulton  Street,  New  York. 

22 


Hamilton  B.  Tompkins,  President. 


Established  1873. 


William  C.  Morton,  Secretary. 


THE 


F  AC-SIMILE  OF  BAKREL  AND  LAKEL. 


11  Brooklyn  Bridge 
Brand"  5 

Specified  and  being  used  on  New  Astor  Hotel 
and  Waldorf  Hotel  Extension,  Brooklyn  Institute 
of  Arts  and  Science,  Washington  Bridge,  Columbia 
College,  New  Buildings,  Bowling  Green  Office 
Building,  New  York  University  Buildings,  Central 
Gas  Light  Co.  Plant.  And  largely  used  by  the 
United  States  Government  at  Fort  Monroe,  Va.; 
Fort  Washington,  Md.;  Fort  Preble,  Portland,  Me.; 
Fort  Morgan,  Mobile,  Ala.;  Fort  Wadsworth,  and 
at  Plattsburgh,  New  York. 


CEMENT. 


«  ^  CO 

*  9  £ 
£  <  a 


Specified  and  Used  by  the  Leading  Architects, 
Engineers  and  Builders.  This  cement  is  absolutely 
hydraulic,  dark,  finely  ground,  uniform  ;  stands  the 
highest  tests,  and  will  take  more  sand  than  any 
Rosendale  Hydraulic  Cement.  Especially  adapted 
for  heavy  masonry  and  concrete  work.  Net  weight, 
300  lbs.  per  barrel.  Call  for  and  insist  on  this 
Brand  being  delivered.  The  best  is  the  cheapest. 
N.  B.  —  For  Sale  by  all  Masons' 
Material  Dealers. 


TRADE 

RARITAN 


FRONT  BRICK. 
HEARTH  TILE. 
FIRE  PROOFING. 

MANUFACTURED  BY 

MARK. 

RARITAN  HOLLOW  AND  POROUS  BRICK  CO. 

Henry  M.  Keasbey,  Vice-Prest.     Office  j  874  Broadway^     Rowland  P.  Keasbey,  Sec.  and  Treas^ 


As  a  means 

Of  ascertaining  whether  the  issuance  of  such  a  publication 
as  this  is  productive  of  PRACTICAL  RESULTS  TO 
THE  COMMUNITY  the  NORTH  SIDE  BOARD 
OF  TRADE  would  esteem  it  a  favor  if  anybody  who 
has  been  influenced  by  it  to  move  into  this  borough,  or 
to  purchase  property  here,  or  to  establish  a  manufactur- 
ing or  other  business  enterprise  here,  will  communicate 
that  fact  to  the  Committee  on  Literature  and  Publication. 

Albert  E.  Davis,  Chairman, 

278  Alexander  Ave. 

23 


The  Union  ( 
Railway** 


The  Only 
North  Side 
Surface  Line 


NEofthc  most  important,  if,  indeed,  not 


city  is  the  railway.  It  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  the  health}'  growth  of  a  community  that  it 
should  be  provided  with  safe,  speedy,  and  com- 
fortable means  of  inter-communication  between 
its  different  sections,  and  especially  betw  een  its 
residence  and  business  sections — between  its 
urban  and  suburban  districts.  For  there  is  an 
innate  desire  in  the  city  man  to  live  at  a  distance 
from  his  work.  Perhaps  no  section  of  our  city 
was  worse  off  for  surface  railway  transit  facilities 
than  was  the  North  Side  prior  to  the  advent  of 
the  Union  Railway,  the  old  Harlem  Bridge, 
Morrisania  and  Fordham,  horse-car  line  having 
too  much  to  contend  against  in  the  shape  of  un- 
settled grade  lines,  etc. 


pre-eminently  the  most  important,  of 
all  factors  in  the  development   of  a 


24 


<I>  <CI>  <d>  <T>  <I>  <0  <I>  <S>  <I>  <I>  <I>  <S>  <SJ  <D>  <2>  <I>  <0  <I>  <T>  <I>  <S>  <I>  <I>  <I>  <£3  <> 

The  officers  of  the  Union  Railway  have  shown  W 

themselves  to  be  alive  to  the  necessities  and  S 

possibilities  of  the  North  Side,  and  there  are  <A> 

now  no  less  than  eight  different  lines  operated  & 

by  this  Company,  starting  from  3d  Avenue  and  Jffi 

129th  Street,  and  8th  Avenue  and  135th  Street  « 

and  extending  east,  northeast,  north,  and  north-  j|| 

west.    A  line  on  Jerome  Avenue  is  the  latest  <■¥ 

addition,  and  a  cross-town  line  from  Morris  || 

Heights  on  the  Harlem  through  Burnside  and  jKt 

Tremont  Avenues  to  West  Farms  on  the  Bronx  S. 
is  likely  to  be  in  operation  early  next  year.  In 

fact  the  Company  is  ever  ready  to  extend  its  ?|J> 

lines  or  open  up  new  ones  as  fast  as  the  growth  § 

of  the  district  will  warrant.    Its  cars  are  operated  ||* 

by  the  overhead  trolley  electric  svstem  from  f| 

a  well-equipped  power-house  at  West  Farms,  *jp 

The  cars  are  new  and  attractive.    In  summer  || 

they  can  be  chartered  for  evening  parties,  bril-  "'$1 
liantly  illuminated  with  colored  lights.   To  show 
the  wonderful  growth  of  passenger  traffic  on 

North  Side  surface  lines  it  might  be  stated  that  *k 

in  1873  the  H.  B.  M.  &  F.  R.  R.  carried  less  ;;| 

than  a  million  and  a  quarter,  while  for  the  year  S 

ending  June  30,  1897,  the  Union  Railway  car-  # 

ried  over  ten  million  passengers.  || 

<Z>  ■<!>  <0  <2>  <S>  <G>-  <D>  <0  <D>  <0  <0  <I>  <C>  <D  <D>  <£><0  <0  <S>  <1>  <0  <£>  <0  <L>  <S 


<fV> 


sfti 
w 

I  The  Third  Avenue 
Railroad  Co. 


aft 
aft 
aft 


aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 


at 
aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 
aft 


I 


S  the  main  surface  line  of  the 
Borough  of  Manhattan  to  which 
the  North  Side  or  Borough  of  the 
Bronx  is  tributary.  It  is  one  of  the 
oldest  surface  lines  in  the  city,  its 
charter  dating  from  1853.  It  operates 
twenty-eight  miles  of  track  on  the 
cable  system,  its  main  line  starting 
at  City  Hall  and  running  up  the 
Bowery  and  Third  Avenue  to  Harlem 
Bridge.  It  also  has  branches  running 
through  125th  Street,  Harlem's  great 


26 


The  Third  Avenue 
Railroad  Co. 


business  thoroughfare,  from  the  East 
River  to  Manhattan  Street  to  the  Fort 
Lee  Ferry  on  the  Hudson  River, 
just  North  of  Riverside  Park  and 
Grant's  Tomb  ;  and  up  Amsterdam 
Avenue  to  Fort  George,  a  favorite 
summer  resort  at  the  upper  end  of 
Manhattan  Island.  A  projected  branch 
will  run  up  the  Kingsbridge  Road  to 
the  end  of  the  Island,  in  anticipation 
of  which  an  immense  station  has  been 
erected  at  or  near  Kingsbridge. 


« 


8?S 


Hon.  WILLIAM  H.  SCIIOT1 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  horn  in  this  city  in  isf>l, 
and,  having  graduated  from  the  public  school,  subsequently 
obtained  employment  in  the  Havre  Steamship  Company.  He 
rose  step  by  step,  filling  each  successive  position  with  ability, 
and  when  the  company  changed  administration  and  was  merged 
into  the  French  Line  Steamship  Company,  he  was  the  only 
employee  retained  from  the  stall' of  the  old  company.  In  L885 
he  w  as  appoint- 
senger  agent, 
that  position, 
property  owner 
Ward,  and  has 

mont  for  the 
years.  During 
been  actively 
all  public  un- 
represented the 
the  joint  corn- 
Tax  Payers'  As- 
23d  and  24th 
prepared  t  lie 
or  Peoples'  hill 
every  way,  here 
in  securing  its 


.1 


ed  general  pas- 
and  is  still  filling 
lie  is  a  large 
in  the  LM  t  h 
reside*  1  in  Tre- 
past  eighteen 
that  t  ime  he  has 
identified  with 
provements.  1  [e 
24th  Ward  in 
mittee  of  the 
sociation  of  the 
Wards,  which 
( ommissioner 
and  aided  in 
and  at  Albany, 


Mr.  Schott  represented  the  24th  Ward  as  Alderman  in  1892, 
'93  and  '94.  lie  is  a  memher  of  the  Produce  Exchange,  Mari- 
time  Exchange,  Old  Guard,  and  such  well  known  associations 
as  the  Schnorer  Club,  Washington  Club,  Bedford  Park  Club, 
Kidney  Stew  Club  of  Fordham,  Tremont  Club,  Railroad  and 
Steamship  Ass^i  of  X.  Y.,  also  member  of  Tammany  Hall 
General  Committee  of  35th  Assembly  District,  Ranaque  Tribe 
of  Red  Men  No.  346,  Tremont  Taxpayers1  Alliance  Association, 
32°  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  Mecca  Temple  of  Mystic  Shrine. 

28 


TRADE  MARK 


In=door  and  Out=door  Photography 
In  Every  Size  and  Style 

HEHBER  NORTH  SIDE  BOARD  OF  TRADE 


THE  LARGEST 
Musical  Instruments  Factory  in  the  East 

.  .  IS  THAT  OF  .  . 

The  Ricca  Manufacturing  Co. 

.  .  .  WHO  MANUFACTURE  .  .  . 

Ricca  Mandolins  ^  Guitars 

....  AT  ...  . 

886  and  888  East  134th  Street,  N.  Y. 


David  Mayer 
Brewing  Company 

BREWERS  AND  BOTTLERS  OF 

ALES 

.  .  AND  .  . 

LAGER  BEER 

BREWERY  : 
i68th=i69th  Streets,  Third  and  Fulton  Avenues 

ISTEW  YOltlv 


Three  Awards,  World's  Fair,  1893 

30 


Gold  Medal,  Atlanta  Fair,  1896 


$i,ooo  Reward!] 

In  our  advocacy  of  the  JPure  Beer  bills  ♦ 

before  the  Legislatures  of  the  States  of  % 

New  York  and  Connecticut  tee  claimed  ♦ 

to  use  in  the  manufacture  of  our  beer  J 

Hops,  Barley=Malt,  | 
Yeast  and  Water  only,     ^  ♦ 


We  will  pay  $1,000  to 
any  person  proving 
the  contrary. 


♦ 
♦ 

A  MOST  UNUSUAL  OFFER  IN  X 
 ♦ 

THESE  DAYS  OF  SUBSTITU=  J 


TION  AND  ADULTERATION. 


>•»*<:« 


^©16  3fasbione6  : 

LACE R  BEER  ♦ 

♦ 

IS  ABSOLUTELY  PURE  ♦ 


♦ 


t  HENRY  ZELTNER  BREW.  CO.  | 

♦ 

170th  STREET  AND  THIRD  AVENUE  ♦ 
NEW  YORK  CITY  ♦ 


A.  P.  DlENST  &  CO. 

N.  R.  Cor.  Third  Ave.  and  140th  St. 


ENGINEERS,  CONTRACTORS  AND  FACTORY 
SUPPLIES  OF  EVERY  DESCRIPTION. 

Hardware  and  Tools  of  all  Kinds. 


The  only  house  of  its  kind  in  upper  New  York  City.  Note  our  address.  In  case 
of  a  break  down  or  other  emergency,  it  may  be  of  service  to  you.  as  you  will  find  almost 
anything  required  for  tepairs  in  stock  


Contractors  for  Complete  Power  and  Heating  Plants. 

TELEPHONE  NO.  439  HARLEM. 


Have  you 

$500  7 1 1 1 

To  Spare  ♦ 

Invest  it  in  23d  or  24th  Ward  Real  Es- 
tate where  it  is  increasing  in  value. 

J.  Clarence  Davies  &  Co. 

140th  St.  and  Third  Avenue. 

Telephone  62  Melrose. 

Henry  C.  Schrader, 
Oyster  and  Chop  House. 

WINES  AND  LIQUORS 
WHOLESALE  AND  RETAIL. 

2687  Third  Ave.    Corner  143d  Street. 

NEW  YORK. 

Telephone  Call,  717  Harlem.    .    .  . 


E.  H.  LYONS  CO. 

REAL  ESTATE. 

2778  Third  Avenue,  near  147th  Street. 

Branch  Cor.  Southern  Boulevard  and 
Freeman  Street. 

23d  and  24th  Ward 
Property  a  Specialty. 

Write  for  List  of  Properties  for  Sale. 

TELEPHONE 
115  Melrose. 


NEW  YORK. 


Peter  Duffy,  Pres. 
M.  A.  Duffy.  Treas. 
T.  HARTY.  Sec'y. 


ESTABLISHED  1880. 
INCORPORATED  1885. 


 <$><$>  

THE 

Schubert  Piano  Co. 

Manufacturers  of 

UPRIGHT  PIANOS. 

Office  and  Factory  :  535,  537,  539  and  541 
East  134th  Street. 

WAREROOMS  :  Vour   V r\r\r 

Broadway,  bet.  39th  and  40th  Sts.  1>  C  W    1  OIK. 


